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Following an intense overnight assault on Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Saturday that Moscow “doesn’t want peace,” as he prepared for another round of peace negotiations.
President Zelensky’s remarks came en route to Florida, where he is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss a newly proposed 20-point peace plan, agreed upon by American and Ukrainian envoys.
Local authorities reported that the 10-hour barrage of missiles and drones directed at the Ukrainian capital resulted in two fatalities and 32 injuries.
According to Ukraine’s Minister for Development, Oleksiy Kuleba, damage to energy infrastructure has left 40% of residential buildings in Kyiv and surrounding areas without heating.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence asserted that long-range precision weapons were deployed to target energy facilities, which it alleged were being utilized “in the interests of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.”
In a Telegram post, President Zelensky stated that Russia launched nearly 500 drones and 40 missiles towards Kyiv, targeting both energy and civilian infrastructure.
Images from the scene depict significant damage, including gaping holes in apartment buildings and residences engulfed in flames following the strikes.
Notably, the apartment building of BBC journalist Anastasiya Gribanova was struck, resulting in fires on the upper floors. Gribanova, who was in the building’s elevator at the time, was unharmed.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported that 68 individuals were evacuated from a retirement home located in the eastern Darnytskyi district.
“Russian representatives are engaged in lengthy discussions, but in reality, the Kinzhal [missiles] and Shahed [drones] are speaking for them,” President Zelensky wrote on Telegram, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear to want an end to the conflict.
“This appalling activity can only be addressed with decisive actions. America possesses this capability, Europe possesses this capability, and many of our partners possess this capability,” he urged, calling on allies to demonstrate resolve against Russian aggression.
In response to the attack, Poland, which shares a 530km-long (320 miles) border with western Ukraine, activated its fighter jets, ground-based air defense systems, and radar reconnaissance.
Later on Saturday morning, Poland concluded that there had been no violation of its airspace.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported that its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed nearly 200 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions, including eight over Moscow.
President Zelensky met briefly with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday, prior to his meeting with President Trump in Florida.
Speaking in Nova Scotia, President Zelensky characterized the latest bombardment of Kyiv as “Russia’s answer [to] our peace efforts, and this truly demonstrates that Putin does not desire peace.”
Prime Minister Carney pledged $2.5bn CAD (£1.35bn) in economic assistance to Ukraine, but concurred that “lasting peace” would necessitate “a willing Russia.”
President Zelensky subsequently engaged in a call with European leaders to discuss diplomatic “priorities” in advance of his meeting with President Trump, emphasizing that “strong positions are required” to progress with the peace plan.
Security guarantees and territorial concessions for Ukraine are likely to be revisited, issues on which Russia has previously been unwilling to compromise.
Also on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a command and control center overseeing Moscow’s war efforts, according to Russian news agency TASS.
Wearing army fatigues, President Putin stated that if Kyiv does not seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict, Russia will achieve its objectives militarily, according to comments reported in state media.
The new 20-point draft is a revised version of an earlier 28-point plan, which was drafted by US special envoy Steve Witkoff but widely seen as being too favorable to Russia.
The Ukrainian president has expressed optimism regarding the new draft, describing it as “a foundational document on ending the war,” but President Trump cautioned that Zelensky “doesn’t have anything until I approve it” in an interview with Politico.
The draft reportedly includes security guarantees from the US, Nato and European allies for a co-ordinated military response if Russia were to invade Ukraine again.
Control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas has been a sticking point in talks so far, but now Zelensky has said a “free economic zone” could be an option.
Trump told Politico that he was expecting to see the new draft on Sunday.
“I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin,” Trump said in the interview, adding that he expects to speak with Russia’s president “soon.”
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A device was detonated after police approached a “suspicious” individual in Moscow, authorities said.
On the key question of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas, Zelensky says a “free economic zone” is a potential option.
Ukraine has tried to evacuate areas of Sumy region near the Russian border, but many civilians have refused to leave.
The capture of Siversk brings Russia closer to the last remaining “fortress belt” cities still in Ukrainian hands in the Donetsk region.
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