Russian Strikes Resume on Kyiv Following Witkoff and Kushner Peace Mission

KYIV, Ukraine — September 8, 2026 — Russia launched a major wave of missile and drone attacks on Kyiv early Tuesday, bringing an abrupt end to a temporary three-day pause in strikes that coincided with a diplomatic visit by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Explosions were reported across the Ukrainian capital as air-defense systems responded to incoming drones and missiles. The assault damaged residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure, while fires broke out in several districts. Ukrainian authorities said at least three people were killed and 19 others were injured.

Emergency crews were deployed throughout the city following the strikes. Officials reported damage to numerous high-rise buildings as well as a school, clinic, dormitory, warehouses and other facilities. A Ukrainian television station was also damaged in a drone strike, leaving several people injured.

The renewed bombardment came shortly after a temporary pause in attacks on the Russian and Ukrainian capitals. The three-day arrangement was introduced while U.S. representatives Witkoff and Kushner travelled to Moscow and Kyiv as part of Washington’s latest diplomatic effort to move the conflict toward negotiations.

Witkoff and Kushner met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday before travelling to Kyiv, where they held discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday. Witkoff later described the discussions as substantive and indicated that efforts were being made toward further negotiations involving the parties.

Air Defenses Respond to Large-Scale Attack

Ukraine’s air force said the overnight assault involved a large number of drones along with cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces reported intercepting the vast majority of the cruise missiles and drones as well as two ballistic missiles.

However, Ukrainian officials have warned that ballistic missiles remain particularly challenging to intercept and that supplies of advanced air-defense interceptors are under increasing pressure.

The attacks were not limited to Kyiv. Several other Ukrainian regions were also targeted. In the Sumy region, Russian drones struck trains, while another attack in Zaporizhzhia killed a railway worker. People were also reported wounded following an attack near Odesa.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces had targeted military and logistical facilities in Kyiv and the surrounding region, along with targets elsewhere in Ukraine. Both Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly denied deliberately targeting civilians.

Diplomacy Continues Despite Renewed Fighting

The latest attacks highlight the challenges facing diplomatic efforts to bring the war to an end. Although the temporary pause provided Kyiv with several days of relative calm, fighting elsewhere did not completely stop during that period.

The Kremlin has indicated that further three-way negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States remain possible, although no date or location has yet been confirmed. Ukrainian officials have meanwhile continued calling on international partners to strengthen the country’s air-defense capabilities.

The resumption of strikes demonstrates how fragile the current diplomatic opening remains, with negotiations continuing alongside an intensifying exchange of long-range attacks between Russia and Ukraine.