KYIV — Russia launched a heavy drone attack on Kyiv on 23 September, striking railway infrastructure, warehouses and fuel stations only hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky met US President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian officials reported casualties and damage in the capital as air-defence units responded to the overnight assault.
The attack followed another wave of Russian missile and drone strikes that killed civilians across several Ukrainian regions, including Dnipro, Kyiv and Sumy.
Zelensky used meetings in New York to seek stronger air defences and international backing for a proposed halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.
Ukraine has offered reciprocal de-escalation if Russia stops targeting its power system, ports and export routes, but Moscow has not signalled acceptance of a durable pause.
Ukraine has meanwhile continued attacks on Russian oil facilities, arguing that refinery operations help finance and sustain Moscow’s invasion.
The renewed bombardment illustrates the difficulty of converting diplomatic discussions at the United Nations into immediate protection for civilians and critical infrastructure.
References
- Reuters — Russian drone strikes hit Kyiv
- Associated Press — Russia and Ukraine trade strikes before Zelensky’s Trump meeting
- Reuters — Zelensky pushes for an energy truce
Featured photo: Volodymyr Lymariev/Unsplash.