Russian Strikes Kill Two in Kyiv as Putin–Trump Peace Summit Cancelled

Post by : Saif Nasser

Russia launched fresh attacks on Ukraine overnight, striking energy sites and homes across Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring several others, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. The new wave of strikes came as the planned peace summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump was postponed after Moscow rejected calls for a ceasefire.

According to Kyiv’s city administration, falling debris from destroyed missiles and drones caused fires in almost half of the capital’s districts. The city’s air defense systems were active throughout the night, with loud explosions heard across Kyiv. Timur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv military administration, said on Telegram that the attacks left widespread damage and started multiple fires in residential areas.

Ukraine’s energy minister, Svitlana Hrynchuk, said that Russia’s main targets were the country’s energy facilities. “All night the enemy struck the country’s energy infrastructure. The massive attack is ongoing,” she said.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that one person died and ten others were rescued after a fire broke out in a high-rise building in the Dniprovskyi district. Another person was reported killed in a separate part of the city. Fires also broke out in the Pecherskyi, Desnianskyi, and Darnytskyi districts, officials added. The Pecherskyi district is home to the famous Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery, one of Ukraine’s most important religious and cultural landmarks.

Witnesses told Reuters that explosions could be heard across the city, most likely from Ukraine’s air defense systems shooting down incoming missiles and drones. Photos released by emergency workers showed firefighters battling flames in damaged buildings and clearing debris from the streets.

In areas surrounding Kyiv, local officials said Russian missiles hit several homes. Mykola Kalashnyk, the governor of the Kyiv region, reported that one private house caught fire after being hit by debris, and an elderly woman was injured in the incident.

The attacks also extended to other regions. In Zaporizhzhia, a frontline area in southeastern Ukraine that often faces heavy shelling, 13 people were wounded overnight, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said. In the central Poltava region, oil and gas facilities in the Myrhorod district were damaged during the strikes, according to the local administration.

Russia has regularly targeted Ukraine’s power plants, oil depots, and other energy infrastructure since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022. Moscow claims these facilities are legitimate military targets, but Kyiv accuses Russia of trying to destroy its energy system before winter to cause suffering among civilians.

The latest attack followed a major strike on Tuesday that killed four people and left hundreds of thousands without electricity or water. Ukrainian officials said that Russia’s goal is to break the country’s energy supply system and lower public morale as cold weather approaches.

Meanwhile, the White House announced that the long-planned summit between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin had been postponed. U.S. officials said the decision came after Russia refused to agree to an immediate ceasefire, a key demand for starting formal peace talks. “There are no plans for a meeting soon,” a senior U.S. official told Reuters.

The summit, which was expected to take place later this month, was meant to explore possible steps toward ending the war that has now lasted for more than three years. European nations, led by France and Germany, had encouraged both Washington and Moscow to push forward with peace discussions. However, diplomats say Russia’s rejection of a ceasefire has created a major setback.

Ukraine’s allies in Europe have called on Moscow to stop the attacks and return to the negotiating table. The European Union condemned the latest strikes, calling them “inhuman acts” that deliberately target civilian areas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with European leaders in the coming days to discuss how to strengthen air defenses and protect energy networks before winter.

Emergency teams in Kyiv are still clearing debris and putting out fires as power crews work to restore electricity in affected neighborhoods. Many parts of the city remained without power on Wednesday morning, and residents were urged to stay in shelters until the situation stabilizes.

As the war enters its fourth winter, Ukrainians continue to face daily danger from missile and drone attacks. The delay of the Putin–Trump summit has also raised doubts about whether peace talks can begin anytime soon. For now, Ukraine remains under attack, and the hope for an immediate ceasefire appears distant.