Ukraine Says Russian Strikes Kill Six as Putin–Trump Summit Postponed

Post by : Saif Nasser

Kyiv: Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight killed six people, including two children, and caused widespread power outages across the country, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. The attacks came as the planned summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump was postponed after Moscow refused to agree to a ceasefire proposal.

Authorities in Kyiv reported that the capital was hit by waves of missiles and drones through the night, leaving parts of the city burning. Debris from downed weapons fell across several neighborhoods, damaging homes and buildings. Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said fires broke out in half of the city’s districts.

Ukraine’s emergency services confirmed that two people died in Kyiv and four others, including two children, were killed in nearby areas outside the capital. Ten people were rescued from a burning apartment block in the Dniprovskyi district, said Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Among the injured were five people, including one child, who were taken to hospitals across the city.

Officials said fires also broke out in the Desnianskyi, Darnytskyi, and Pecherskyi districts. The Pecherskyi area is home to the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, one of the most important sites of Ukrainian culture and religion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said Ukraine had already agreed to a U.S.-proposed ceasefire, but Russia continued its attacks. “Moscow is doing everything to keep the killing going,” Yermak wrote on Telegram. “This means the world is not doing enough to stop Putin. We must all act together to make him stop killing our people.”

The White House said on Tuesday that the Trump–Putin summit would not go ahead for now because of Russia’s rejection of a ceasefire. A senior U.S. official told Reuters that there were currently no plans for a meeting soon.

Ukrainian officials said that Russia’s overnight strikes began with ballistic missiles and continued with drones targeting key infrastructure. The country’s Energy Minister, Svitlana Hrynchuk, said that energy facilities across Ukraine were attacked throughout the night. She did not share full details but confirmed that “the enemy struck the country’s energy system all night.”

The Energy Ministry said emergency power cuts were taking place in most regions, including Kyiv and the surrounding areas. Many homes were left without electricity and water. In the central Poltava region, oil and gas sites were damaged in the Myrhorod district, according to the local governor.

In the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, where fighting has continued for months, at least 13 people were injured in Russian attacks, said regional governor Ivan Fedorov. The city has been hit repeatedly as Russia targets both military and civilian areas near the frontlines.

Russia has frequently targeted Ukraine’s energy facilities since launching its full invasion in 2022. Moscow claims these sites are legitimate military targets, but Ukraine says the strikes are meant to break its energy system and weaken morale before winter.

On Tuesday, another wave of attacks killed four people and left hundreds of thousands without power or water. Ukrainian officials warned that Russia’s latest actions are part of a broader campaign to make life difficult for civilians as cold weather approaches.

The destruction from the latest attacks was visible across Ukrainian cities. Residents were seen cleaning debris from balconies and windows shattered by explosions. In Kyiv, firefighters worked through the night to control blazes caused by falling drone fragments.

Despite the heavy losses, Ukrainian leaders said the country would not stop defending itself. “Every attack makes us stronger,” said one Kyiv official. “We will rebuild everything that is destroyed.”

Meanwhile, the postponement of the Trump–Putin meeting has added to uncertainty about future peace efforts. The U.S. government had hoped the summit could bring both sides closer to a ceasefire agreement. However, with Moscow rejecting the idea, diplomatic progress appears stalled.

Political experts say that the delay may also affect relations between Washington and Moscow. While President Trump has spoken about wanting to find “a path to peace,” his administration insists that Russia must first agree to stop its attacks before any talks can happen.

Ukraine continues to call for more international support. Officials in Kyiv urged Western allies to increase sanctions against Russia and provide more air defense systems to protect civilians.

For many Ukrainians, the latest attacks are another reminder of how dangerous daily life remains nearly four years after the full-scale war began. Power cuts, damaged homes, and fear of night strikes have become part of life across the country.