Zelenskiy visits US to meet Trump as Russia bombs Kyiv
Russian forces launched a massive airstrike on Ukraine's capital on the eve of talks between Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Donald Trump, aimed at finalizing a plan to end Moscow's war.
Ukraine’s president told reporters from his plane on Saturday that he’ll stop in Canada en route to the US, meeting there with with Prime Minister Mark Carney and, together, holding a video call with European leaders. Zelenskiy reiterated Ukraine’s need for legally binding security guarantees from allies if hostilities are brought to an end, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
More than 500 drones and 40 missiles — including Kinzhal hypersonic weapons — were launched in strikes that continued long into Saturday, Zelenskiy said on social media. Air raid sirens have continued in the capital for more than ten hours.
“Russian representatives engage in lengthy talks, but in reality, Kinzhals and ‘Shaheds’ speak for them,” Zelenskiy said.
The barrage killed one person in Kyiv and injured at least 27, disrupted power and water supplies, and sparked fires across several districts. About one-third of the city of over 3 million residents was left without heating with temperatures hovering around freezing.
More than 600,000 households in Kyiv and the surrounding region are without electricity, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Telegram. “Russians are pursuing a campaign built on instilling exhaustion, cold, and fear,” she added.
Several high-rise residential buildings, as well as cars and other property, were set ablaze, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. At least 11 people were hospitalized. Authorities imposed emergency power cuts in the capital, overriding rolling blackouts that had already been scheduled, while water supplies were also disrupted.
The Chernihiv region in northern Ukraine also saw power cuts, Ukraine’s energy ministry said.
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