Renewed Russian Attacks Shake Kyiv: US Envoys' Visit and Ongoing Conflict
Explosions shook the city of Kyiv early Tuesday as Russia resumed its attacks on the Ukrainian capital after a three-day pause. The pause was initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the visit of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend. The renewed strikes caused fires and car alarms to go off in the city, resulting in six people being wounded, according to Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko. The Ukrainian army's air force reported a missile attack, prompting the city's military administration to advise residents to seek shelter as the air defense system was activated.
The explosions damaged various buildings in Kyiv, including a five-story residential block in the Solomianskyi district, and led to vehicles catching fire in the Podilskyi district. Klitschko mentioned that individuals were trapped in a residential building due to the attack. This incident marks the first assault on Kyiv following the conclusion of the three-day halt for the US envoys' visit to Russia and Ukraine. Russia's state news agency Tass confirmed the expiration of the pause in strikes, with air alerts being issued in multiple regions across Ukraine by 5:30 am.
Telegram channels monitoring air threats in Ukraine reported that Russia had begun transporting ballistic missiles and relocating heavy bombers from the country's east to airfields closer to Ukraine. Additionally, Poland announced the commencement of "aviation operations" in response to the Russian attack. Witkoff expressed optimism on Monday about the progress made during discussions with Ukraine and Russia, hinting at the possibility of resuming three-way peace talks to resolve the ongoing conflict. He emphasized President Trump's commitment to halting the violence and working towards a lasting peace.
Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin in Moscow on Saturday before engaging in separate discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv during their inaugural official visit to the city. The Kremlin indicated that it was open to the idea of three-way talks, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that it was premature to determine the exact venue or dates for such discussions at this stage. The situation remains tense as the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate, with hopes pinned on diplomatic efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution.