Russia launched a major drone attack on Kyiv on Wednesday, striking railway infrastructure, warehouses, business facilities and petrol stations as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed the UN General Assembly and warned of a difficult winter ahead.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least two people were killed and 45 others injured, including two who were in serious condition.
The attack continued from morning into the evening and was described as one of the heaviest strikes on Kyiv since Russia began deploying faster, high-flying jet-powered drones that Ukraine says are harder to intercept.
Railway infrastructure and petrol stations targeted
Klitschko said a drone struck a nine-storey non-residential building, while a business centre and warehouses were also hit.
Explosions were reported across parts of the capital, with smoke visible above central Kyiv and other areas.
Ukrainian railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said railway infrastructure came under attack, although the city’s main railway station was not damaged. One railway worker was injured.
Ukrainian oil company Ukrnafta said one of its petrol stations was hit, marking the sixth such facility attacked in Kyiv in recent weeks. Authorities said two petrol stations were struck in Wednesday’s attacks.
Reuters footage showed one petrol station heavily damaged along a busy highway.
EU ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova said buildings near the EU delegation in Kyiv were burning following the strikes.
Zelenskiy vows Ukraine will respond
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Zelenskiy said Russia had deployed a large number of drones against Kyiv, including many jet-powered models.
He accused Russia of continuing to target civilian and critical infrastructure, including pharmaceutical facilities, fuel stations, railways, communications infrastructure and shopping centres.
Zelenskiy also said Ukraine would continue striking back if Moscow did not agree to a ceasefire covering attacks on energy infrastructure.
The Ukrainian president had discussed the possibility of an energy-related ceasefire with US President Donald Trump during a meeting on Tuesday.
Zelenskiy said he was ready for “any format” of an energy ceasefire provided Russia stopped attacking Ukrainian infrastructure.
He also called for continued sanctions pressure on Moscow, including measures targeting Russian oligarchs.
Five killed in eastern Ukraine
Elsewhere in Ukraine, a Russian aerial bomb attack killed five people and injured six in the frontline village of Oleksandrivka, according to Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin.
Seven people were reported trapped under rubble.
The village is located near Kramatorsk, one of the fortified cities Russia is seeking to capture.
Moscow says conditions for talks remain absent
The latest attacks came a day after Zelenskiy and Trump discussed prospects for a settlement in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Zelenskiy said no agreements had been reached on increased supplies of US Patriot air defence missiles, which Kyiv wants to help protect its electricity infrastructure ahead of winter.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that conditions for future peace talks with Ukraine were still not in place.
Following talks in New York between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Moscow remained committed to achieving what it calls the objectives of its “special military operation”.
