At least three people were killed during a large Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s capital overnight, local officials said on Sunday, hours before U.S.-mediated talks to discuss a partial cease-fire were set to begin in Saudi Arabia.
Multiple explosions shook the capital, Kyiv, overnight as air defense units fired at incoming drones. The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia had launched nearly 150 drones across the country, and that it had shot down approximately 100. The claim could not be independently verified.
On Sunday morning, the local authorities in Kyiv said that some drones and debris from others that were shot down had fallen on several buildings in the city, sparking fires. Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, said that three people were killed: A father and his 5-year-old daughter, as well as an 80-year-old woman. At least 10 people were injured.
The toll was unusually high for Kyiv, which is one of Ukraine’s best defended cities. It serves as the seat of political power, housing the presidential palace and parliament. In recent months, Russia has intensified attacks on the capital, aiming to overwhelm its air defenses with waves of drones.
Both Russia and Ukraine agreed last week to a cease-fire that would put a temporary halt to strikes on energy infrastructure. But the cease-fire has not yet taken effect, with details of how it will be implemented still to be ironed out during the talks in Saudi Arabia. In the meantime, dual air assaults have not abated, underscoring the deep mistrust between the two countries.
“Russia is not stopping the fire, Putin wants to kill more civilians further, it must be stopped,” Andrii Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, wrote Sunday morning on social media.
The talks in Saudi Arabia will focus on halting attacks on energy facilities, such as power plants and substations, as well as ensuring shipping safety in the Black Sea.
U.S. representatives will mediate between the two sides, who are not expected to meet directly. Ukrainian officials will first meet with U.S. mediators on Sunday, followed by Russia-U.S. talks on Monday.
