Russia resumed strikes on Kyiv early Tuesday after a three-day halt in attacks ordered by President Vladimir Putin during a visit to the Ukrainian capital by US envoys, Ukrainian authorities said.
The pause coincided with weekend visits to Moscow and Kyiv by US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as Washington sought to advance efforts to end the war.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said late Monday that Russian drones had struck the Boryspil and Fastiv districts in the Kyiv region.
“Russians attacked Boryspil and Fastiv districts with drones,” the emergency service said in a post on Telegram.
The Kyiv city military administration subsequently declared an air raid alert, warning of a potential drone attack and urging residents to take shelter.
A series of powerful explosions was heard across Kyiv early Tuesday, according to AFP journalists in the city. The blasts triggered car alarms in the centre of the capital, while plumes of smoke and the glow of a fire were visible.
Ukrainian authorities said buildings had been damaged in Kyiv and the surrounding Boryspil and Fastiv districts. The extent of the damage and any casualties was not immediately clear.
Russia’s state news agency TASS earlier reported that the three-day pause in strikes had expired.
The temporary halt came as Witkoff and Kushner held talks with officials in both Russia and Ukraine. Witkoff said the discussions had made progress, raising the possibility of reviving three-way peace talks aimed at ending the conflict.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, the resumption of Russian strikes underscores the continued fragility of the negotiations and the challenges facing attempts to secure a lasting ceasefire.
AFP
