Deadly Russian Strikes Hit Ukraine as US Envoys Arrive in Moscow

On Saturday, a sudden barrage slammed into the industrial city of Kamianske in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. Local officials said five civilians were killed and another five wounded. The strikes came just as two U.S. envoys – Steve Witkoff, a Trump‑appointed special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the former president’s son‑in‑law – stepped off a plane in Moscow for a high‑stakes meeting with Vladimir Putin.

Putin, in a video posted on the Kremlin’s MAX channel, called the situation “difficult” and hinted that the talks would have to grapple with the latest flare‑up of violence. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump announced that Washington had a new, concrete peace plan ready for discussion, though he stopped short of revealing any details.

In a brief Telegram note, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had already spoken with the U.S. envoys before their expected arrival in Kyiv on Sunday. He condemned the Kamianske strike, labeling it a “demonstrative” attack on civilian infrastructure, and suggested the Russian raids on Kyiv’s airports were meant to intimidate any U.S. aircraft that might land there.

At the same time, both sides of the front line observed a three‑day limited ceasefire. The Kremlin announced a halt to strikes on Kyiv from Saturday, and Kyiv’s military command issued a matching order for its own forces, effective at midnight. The ceasefire was also extended to a separate, IAEA‑mediated pause to allow repairs to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been running on emergency diesel generators since August 20.

Ukrainian media reported that the “break” was slated to run until the night of September 8. Yet, Interfax Ukraine noted that Russian attacks continued overnight, shattering the illusion of a full halt. In Odesa, three people – including a 17‑year‑old boy – were injured, while a teenage girl in Mykolaiv suffered wounds from a drone strike on a shopping centre. In the Kyiv region, two women were hurt in a Russian hit on a nine‑storey residential block in Boryspil.

Russia’s use of jet‑powered drones, which zip at about half the speed of a passenger jet, has made interceptions harder and civilian casualties have risen sharply. The Russian defence ministry claimed it shot down 53 Ukrainian fixed‑wing drones overnight, some over the Moscow region, as Kyiv’s own long‑range drones continue to target Russian oil facilities.

Trump, speaking to reporters on Friday, blamed a “personality problem” – essentially a deep‑seated hatred between Zelenskyy and Putin – for the stalemate that has now stretched into its fifth year. He hinted the upcoming talks might finally break the deadlock, but warned that any progress would hinge on both leaders’ willingness to set aside their animosity.

Witkoff and Kushner’s visit marks their first trip to Moscow since January and the first time they will set foot in Kyiv under the new administration. Whether their diplomatic sprint can translate into a durable pause – or even a lasting peace – remains to be seen.