Russia strikes Kyiv with missiles hours after agreeing to resume peace talks
Russia hit Kyiv with ballistic missiles on 22 October, killing at least two people, just hours after Putin said he would resume US-brokered trilateral talks. Zelenskyy said the attack showed Moscow is not serious about peace.
Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine on 22 October, hitting the capital, Kyiv, with ballistic missiles. The strikes came only hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin, following talks with US envoy Steve Witkoff, said he had agreed to resume trilateral negotiations aimed at ending the war. The diplomatic announcement and the heavy bombardment followed each other almost immediately, casting doubt on the prospects for the peace process.
Casualties and scale of the attack
At least two people were killed in Kyiv and 22 were wounded, including four children. The assault was not limited to the capital: twelve regions across Ukraine were bombed. The Guardian describes the attack as massive and "demonstrative".
Ukraine's reaction
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strikes proved that Russia was not serious about peace. Kyiv is thus pointing to a contradiction between Moscow's stated readiness to talk and its actions on the battlefield.
What is known about the talks
Putin announced his willingness to revive the trilateral format after contacts with Witkoff, who represents US mediation efforts. The source does not specify when or where the negotiations might take place, so those questions remain unclear for now.
