Seven killed in Russian drone attacks in Ukraine ahead of peace talks

At least seven people have been killed in Ukraine after Russia launched a series of drone attacks, Ukrainian officials have said.

The attacks struck the Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa and Donetsk regions, as well as the capital, Kyiv.

Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko described the attack as “massive” on the Telegram messaging app, adding emergency services were dispatched to several districts.

Three people, including a 5-year-old child, were killed and 10 others were injured in Kyiv, the city’s military administration said.

Russia launched 147 drones in total across Ukraine. The strikes were described by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X as a “daily reality” for Ukrainians.

Ukrainian air defences intercepted 97 of the drones in the overnight bombardment.

The attack on Ukraine’s capital comes despite Ukraine and Russia agreeing in principle to a limited ceasefire last week – although they have been unable to agree on a mutual framework.

Ceasefire negotiations will begin in Saudi Arabia on Monday, and both nations are expected to hold indirect talks mediated by the US, as it attempts to broker a partial ceasefire after more than three years of fighting.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Sunday expressed optimism ahead of the negotiations to end the war and said on Fox News he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted peace.

The hope is that both sides will agree on pausing long-range attacks on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure.

The Ukrainian delegation is expected to meet with US officials ahead of the indirect talks, President Zelenskyy has confirmed.

Meanwhile, Russia’s ministry of defence said on Sunday that it had shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight – including 29 over the region of Rostov and 20 more over Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea.

More drones were downed over the Voronezh, Volgograd, Kursk and Saratov regions, as well as over Crimea, the ministry said.

Yuri Slyusar, the acting governor of the Rostov region that borders Ukraine, said one person was killed when a car caught fire due to a drone strike.

The Kremlin has said a phone call that took place between the Russian president and US President Donald Trump this weekend was “a step towards a face-to-face meeting”.

President Trump said on Saturday that efforts to stop further escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war are “somewhat under control”.

He also told reporters “rational discussions” with Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky are critical to negotiations.