Twelve killed in Russian strikes on Kyiv as Trump accuses Zelensky of blocking peace

Twelve people were killed and at least 90 were injured in a massive Russian drone and missile strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv overnight, just hours after US President Donald Trump accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of hindering progress towards a peace deal.

According to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, airstrikes led to fires being reported at around 40 locations across the country overnight as the Russian military attacked nine Ukrainian regions, of which, he said, Kyiv had been the “hardest hit”.

The emergency services had responded to strikes at 13 locations in the capital, Klymenko said, with rescue operations continuing into Thursday morning as incoming phone calls could still “be heard from under the rubble”.

“Strikes on civilians and emergency responders during rescue operations — that’s Russia's style. We've experienced this many times. That's why Ukraine insists on a complete and immediate ceasefire”, Klymenko said.

Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said Russia had launched “everything” at the city, including cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and around 45 drones in an attack that showed “Russian peace in all its glory”.

In addition to the nine dead, 31 people had been hospitalised, including five children, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.

Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia had launched 70 missiles and 145 drones at the country overnight, with Kyiv the “main target” of the attack. Air defences were able to down 48 of the missiles and 64 of the drones, while a further 68 “decoy drones” were lost, it said.

The attack came just hours after Trump slammed Zelensky for making what he called “inflammatory statements” restating Ukraine’s refusal to recognise Russian control of Crimea, which he said were making it “difficult to settle this war”.

On Tuesday, Zelensky responded to reports that Washington might recognise Russia’s territorial claim to Crimea as part of a peace deal by reiterating that Ukraine would never agree to such a step and that there was therefore “nothing to talk about”.

“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?”, Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to Russia’s illegal annexation of the peninsula in 2014.

“The situation for Ukraine is dire — [Zelensky] can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country”, Trump continued.

Later on Wednesday, Trump was evasive when asked by reporters whether he wanted Ukraine to recognise Russian control over Crimea, claiming that all he wanted was an end to hostilities.

"I just want to see the war end, I don’t care”, Trump said. "If they’re both happy, they both sign an agreement, I have no favourites. I don’t want to have any favourites. I want to have a deal done”.