Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a 72‑hour cease‑fire on strikes against Kyiv, according to the Kremlin on Saturday. The pause begins at midnight and is tied to the arrival of U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow, part of an effort to restart stalled negotiations to end Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. delegation’s mission
Witkoff and Kushner, the latter a former senior adviser to President Trump, are expected to meet Putin during their stay. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting but said there is “no talk of new ideas” to end the conflict at this stage.
Ukrainian response
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would also suspend its own airstrikes while the U.S. delegation is in the country, urging Moscow to honor the cease‑fire. He linked recent overnight strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil International Airport to the upcoming U.S. visit, suggesting the attacks were a reaction to the diplomatic talks.
Ongoing fighting
Despite the temporary pause, both sides continue to launch attacks across the 1,250‑kilometer front line. Russian forces have intensified bombardments of Kyiv and other cities, using fast‑flying jet‑powered drones and ballistic missiles launched from the Rostov and Voronezh regions. Ukrainian air defenses reported shooting down or suppressing 128 drones in recent operations.
Recent Russian strikes killed five civilians at an industrial site in the Dnipropetrovsk region and wounded several others in the Nikopol district. In Kyiv’s Boryspil district, a strike ignited a fire that partially destroyed a nine‑story residential building. Russian attacks also damaged a shopping center in Mykolaiv, injuring a 72‑year‑old man and a 17‑year‑old girl.
Casualties on both sides
Ukrainian officials said two people were wounded in an overnight attack on the Kyiv region, while Russian forces reported shooting down 53 Ukrainian drones. In Russia’s Belgorod border region, Ukrainian strikes wounded three people, including a 14‑year‑old girl.
The cease‑fire is expected to last three days, after which both sides may resume operations unless diplomatic progress is achieved during the U.S. delegation’s visit.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
