A massive wave of Russian hypersonic and ballistic missiles has rocked the Ukrainian capital, injuring residents and triggering power outages just 24 hours before President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet Donald Trump in Florida to discuss a final peace framework.
Russia launched a “massive” coordinated air assault across Ukraine in the early hours of Saturday (27 December), with dozens of explosions reported in Kyiv and several other major cities. The overnight barrage, which involved Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and strike drones, triggered a nationwide air alert and sent residents running for shelters. The escalation comes at a critical diplomatic moment, as Zelenskyy prepares to travel to Mar-a-Lago for a Sunday summit aimed at finalizing a 20-point peace plan to end the nearly four-year war.
The attack on the capital was particularly intense, with Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirming air defense systems were engaged for several hours.
- Casualties & Damage: In Kyiv, at least five people were injured, with four needing hospitalization. Fires broke out in the Holosiivskyi district, where a car service station was destroyed, while debris caused damage in the Obolonskyi and Desnianskyi districts.
- Regional Impact: Beyond the capital, the town of Brovary suffered major power outages. Attacks were also reported in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Chernihiv. In the wider Kyiv region, one truck driver got shrapnel wounds, and several industrial facilities were damaged.
- Weaponry Used: Monitoring channels reported a lethal mix of weapons, including at least four Iskander ballistic missiles, several Kalibr cruise missiles, and waves of “Shahed” style drones.
The Russian Defense Ministry described the strikes as “retaliation” for alleged Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure inside Russia over the past week. But the timing is widely seen by Western analysts as a “bloody signal” to Washington and Kyiv ahead of the high-stakes negotiations in Palm Beach.
“Explosions in the capital. Air defence forces are operating. Stay in shelters!” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko posted on Telegram as sirens blared across the city.
“The Kremlin delivered its own counter-proposal: a sweeping barrage… designed to shatter the optimism currently buoying Western diplomatic circles,” an editorial in the Kyiv Post noted regarding the timing of the strike.
The violence provides a grim backdrop to the December 28 meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump. On Friday, Zelenskyy said the peace plan, which has been refined from 28 down to 20 points, is “90% ready.” The proposed framework reportedly includes provisions for a demilitarized zone in the Donbas and a peacetime Ukrainian military of 800,000 troops.
However, President Trump has tempered expectations, telling reporters, “He doesn’t have anything until I approve it… so we’ll see what he’s got.” Moscow, meanwhile, has signaled it’ll demand “significant changes” to the draft before any cessation of hostilities.
While the strikes have caused fresh devastation, Ukrainian officials confirmed Zelenskyy’s travel plans to Florida remain unchanged. The Sunday meeting is expected to be the most consequential engagement of the year, with both sides hoping to reach a “pre-New Year” breakthrough, even as the situation on the ground stays as volatile as ever.
Also Read / ‘A lot can be decided’: Zelenskyy heads to Florida for high-stakes Trump summit.
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