JAKARTA - Russia on Sunday launched its biggest drone strike against Ukrainian territory Ukraine since the start of the war, destroying houses and killing at least one woman the day before US President Donald Trump was scheduled to discuss a ceasefire proposal with Vladimir Putin of Russia.
Following last night's air warning, the Ukrainian air force said that as of 8 a.m. on Sunday, Russia had launched 273 unmanned aircraft to Ukrainian cities, more than the previous record Moscow set in February on the three-year war anniversary.
In the rubble of his family's house in the Obukhiv area west of Kyiv, Natalia Piven (44) told how she entered the basement with her son after receiving an air strike warning, just in time to survive the first wave of a drone strike.
They then ran into a bomb shelter in a kindergarten, before another drone wave hit the village. Their home was completely destroyed. A 28-year-old woman who lived next to her was killed. Ukrainian authorities said three other people were injured, including a four-year-old child.
"I can't forget it. I really can't. I can clearly hear the drone flying towards my house," Piven told Reuters.
Separately, Ukrainian intelligence agencies said they also believed Moscow intended to fire intercontinental ballistic missiles on Sunday as an attempt to intimidate the West. There was no immediate response from Moscow to the allegations.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is trying hard to restore ties with Washington following a failed White House visit in February, met with Vice President JD Vance and Foreign Minister Marco Rubio in Rome on the sidelines of Pope Leo XIV's inauguration on Sunday.
President Zelensky said the meeting was "good" and released photos of Ukrainian and US officials sitting outside on a round table and smiling. Ukrainian media said the meeting lasted 40 minutes.
"I reiterate, Ukraine is ready to engage in real diplomacy and underscore the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible," President Zelensky said.
Last week, Ukraine and Russia held their first face-to-face talks in more than three years on Friday, under pressure by US President Donald Trump to agree to a ceasefire in a war he had promised to end soon.
The two enemies agreed to swap 1.000 detainees each but failed to agree to a ceasefire, after Moscow put forward a requirement by a member of the Ukrainian delegation called "unacceptable".
President Trump has turned US rhetoric from supporting Ukraine into accepting part of Moscow's narrative about Putin's war in 2022.
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However, Kyiv and his European allies are working hard to convince President Trump, Moscow, which is now delaying the ceasefire.
President Zelensky said he would accept President Trump's proposal for a ceasefire soon for at least 30 days unconditionally. Moscow said it would consider a ceasefire, but only if the terms were met, including the termination of arms supply to Kyiv.
Moscow also said any peace negotiations should discuss the "root of the cause" of the conflict, including its demands that Ukraine surrender territory, be stripped of arms, and receive neutral status. Kyiv said it would mean surrendering and leaving it helpless.
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