Two killed in Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s Kyiv region

In a drone attack by Russia near the Ukrainian capital, at least three people have died.

A residential apartment building, eight private residences, eight commercial buildings, and a number of private cars were all damaged by drone debris in the overnight attack in the central Kyiv region, according to the interior ministry’s report on Friday.

Russian authorities reported that 121 drones launched by Ukraine overnight had been intercepted and destroyed by the country’s air defense systems. The defense ministry said in a statement on Telegram that the drones were shot down over 13 Russian regions, including seven over Moscow and the surrounding region.

The drones have been intercepted at various locations around the capital, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

The federal aviation agency, which was cited by Russian media, claimed that two Moscow airports, Vnukovo and Domodedovo, were resuming operations. Six flights were diverted to different airports.

Other regions targeted by the attacks included Kursk, Bryansk, Belgorod and the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula, according to the defence ministry.

The governors of the Ryazan and Tula regions, both located south of Moscow, also reported attacks.

US piles on pressure

Before any potential negotiations with US President Donald Trump’s administration, Moscow and Kyiv are competing for positional advantage.

Trump promised to put an end to the Ukraine war right away when he took office, which raised hopes he would use aid to pressure Kyiv to accept concessions from Russia, which invaded in February 2022.

However, he increased his pressure on Vladimir Putin to reach a deal this week, threatening more economic sanctions if Moscow rejects Moscow’s agreement.