Russian Strikes Hit Kyiv as US Envoys' Peace Mission Concludes Without Breakthrough

Russia launched fresh air raids against Kyiv early Tuesday, bringing an end to a temporary three-day pause in attacks on the Ukrainian and Russian capitals. The temporary halt had coincided with a diplomatic visit by two US envoys, which ultimately produced no concrete steps toward resolving the ongoing conflict.

According to city officials in Kyiv, two residential buildings sustained damage during the latest barrage. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that drones struck structures in the capital as well as the Boryspil and Fastiv districts on the outskirts of the city. The Kyiv city military administration issued an air raid alert, urging residents to seek immediate shelter from the threat of enemy drone strikes.

Meanwhile, across the border, Russian regional Governor Roman Busargin reported that a Ukrainian drone attack struck civilian infrastructure in Saratov, located nearly 1000km from Moscow, resulting in multiple injuries. Casualties from both the Kyiv and Saratov incidents remain unconfirmed.

The brief cessation of hostilities began after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to halt strikes on their respective capitals during weekend visits to Moscow and Kyiv by US President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. However, fighting continued in other regions during the ceasefire window. Russia’s state news agency TASS confirmed that the three-day suspension ordered by Putin expired on Monday evening local time.

During their diplomatic mission, Witkoff and Kushner held extensive discussions with officials in both capitals. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov described a three-hour meeting in Moscow on Saturday as "highly useful." Following talks with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, Witkoff stated that they had engaged in a meaningful and substantive discussion, expressing encouragement and a commitment to continuing the diplomatic process.

Witkoff also explored the possibility of reviving three-way negotiations to end the war. A White House official told the Reuters news agency that upcoming steps concerning the conflict, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, will be unveiled in the weeks ahead.