As the world keeps its eyes on the upcoming discourse between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump, Russia has made its stance clear by launching an attack on a residential area in Kyiv. According to a media report by Reuters, the strike killed seven people, including a toddler and a 16-year-old boy, overnight, as confirmed by Ukrainian authorities on Monday. The United States has been pressing Kyiv to accept a quick deal to end the war that was once initiated by Moscow.
Six children aged between 6 and 17 were among 20 others injured in the attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to Oleh Synehubov, governor of the wider Kharkiv region.
The strike comes at a time when Zelensky is preparing for talks with Donald Trump in Washington, amid growing fears in Europe that the U.S. president could pressure Kyiv into accepting a peace settlement favorable to Moscow.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched nearly 140 drones overnight—the largest number recorded in a single night since August 4.
Kahrkiv, which lies near the northeastern Ukraine’s border with Russia, has been the target of Russian drone and missile attacks throughout the war.
Before the Recent Incident, right after the high-stakes meeting in Alaska, which the world thought could be a point of inflection in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Moscow has launched 85 attack drones and a ballistic missile at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv said on Saturday, just hours after Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump concluded their talks.
The highly anticipated meeting in the remote US state ended with no breakthrough in halting Russia’s ongoing three-year-old onslaught against Ukraine. Ukraine’s Air Force at that time said that Moscow had “attacked them with an Iskander-M ballistic missile” as the war drags on into its fourth year.
The Air Force further reported that 85 Shahed-type drones targeted the Kyiv area as well as frontline regions.
In its daily update, the Air Force said the attack took place on the night of August 16 and the evening of August 15, coinciding with the Putin–Trump meeting. According to an NDTV report, Kyiv’s air defences shot down 61 drones.
