Several powerful explosions struck Kyiv early on Saturday as Ukrainian authorities warned that the capital was under a missile attack.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air defence systems had been activated and urged residents to remain in shelters. “Explosions in the capital. Air defence forces are operating. Stay in shelters!” he wrote on Telegram.
Ukraine’s air force earlier issued a nationwide air raid alert, reporting that drones and missiles were moving across several regions of the country, including Kyiv.
AFP journalists in the capital reported hearing multiple loud explosions, some accompanied by bright flashes that lit up the night sky. Nearly three hours later, Kyiv’s regional military administration said air defences had again been engaged due to the approach of a drone.
The attacks came ahead of a planned meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday, where both leaders are expected to discuss a proposed plan to end the war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2022.
Russia on Friday accused Zelensky and his European allies of attempting to undermine the US-brokered peace initiative.
According to details disclosed by Zelensky this week, the latest proposal is a 20-point plan that would freeze the conflict along the current front line, while allowing for a potential Ukrainian troop withdrawal from eastern areas and the creation of demilitarised buffer zones.
