Russian Drone and Missile Strikes Kill Three Near Kyiv as Diplomatic Push Intensifies

Russian drone and missile strikes in and around Kyiv killed at least three people early Saturday as Ukrainian negotiators headed to the United States to press a renewed diplomatic effort to end the nearly four‑year war.

Diplomatic push gains momentum

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the delegation, led by national security chief Rustem Umerov, was traveling to the U.S. to "swiftly and substantively work out the steps needed to end the war." A U.S. team is expected to travel to Moscow later next week for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Last week, former U.S. President Donald Trump released a 28‑point plan aimed at ending the conflict. The proposal was widely criticized as favoring Russia, prompting Kyiv to engage quickly with American negotiators. Trump later said the plan had been "fine‑tuned" and announced envoys to meet both sides: Steve Witkoff to Russia and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to Ukraine. He indicated he might meet with both leaders if negotiations produce sufficient progress.

Casualties, damage and blackouts

The Kyiv City Military Administration reported that two people were killed in strikes on the capital. Regional police said a woman died and eight others were wounded in a combined missile and drone attack elsewhere in the Kyiv region. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 29 people were wounded in the city, and that debris from intercepted drones struck residential buildings. He also reported power outages in western districts.

Political fallout in Kyiv

Zelenskyy announced that his chief of staff and lead U.S. negotiator, Andrii Yermak, resigned after anti‑corruption investigators searched Yermak’s residence. The unprecedented search at the center of Ukraine’s government represents a significant political blow and risks complicating Kyiv’s negotiating position at a sensitive moment.

Strike on Russian oil terminal

Separately, a major oil terminal near the Russian port of Novorossiysk halted operations after unmanned boats damaged one of its three mooring points, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium said. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, confirmed Kyiv’s involvement and said naval drones destroyed one berth at the facility. Months of long‑range Ukrainian strikes on refineries and terminals aim to reduce Moscow’s oil export revenues, which Kyiv says fund Russia’s war effort.

Winter and energy security concerns

Kyiv and Western allies say Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid, seeking to deprive civilians of heat, electricity and running water for a fourth consecutive winter. Ukrainian officials describe these attacks as an attempt to "weaponize" the cold and pressure the population.

What to watch next: developments from the U.S. and Moscow delegations, further negotiations on the proposed peace plan, and any retaliatory operations affecting energy infrastructure on both sides.