Russia and the Ukrainian regime have traded a fresh wave of destructive attacks following a controversial diplomatic visit by a United States special envoy to St Petersburg. According to Ukraine's national emergency service, overnight strikes targeting Kyiv resulted in at least one fatality and left 22 people injured, including four children. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that metro infrastructure on the Pivdenny Bridge spanning the Dnipro River also sustained significant damage.

On the Russian side, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed that the Kyiv regime launched a barrage of 630 drones, with 163 targeting the capital itself, though the majority were allegedly intercepted. Regional governors in Tula and Lipetsk also reported extensive drone activity and civilian injuries, highlighting the expanding geographic scope of the ongoing aerial exchanges.

This sudden surge in violence unfolded directly after US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Constantine Palace. During the visit, the Russian government released imprisoned US teacher Stephen Hubbard as a goodwill gesture, prompting the US envoy to shower Putin with praise. Meanwhile, US regime leader Donald Trump asserted that the protracted war might be closer to a resolution than ever before.

Despite Washington's optimistic spin, the Kremlin remained highly guarded, warning that Ukrainian and European peace proposals lacked any genuine substance. Frustrated by diplomatic hurdles, Trump pivoted back toward economic pragmatism, championing a controversial diesel deal with heavily sanctioned Russia while delaying a fresh wave of punitive measures. This backroom maneuvering has sparked profound outrage in Kyiv and across European capitals, with Ukrainian officials warning that appeasement will ultimately fail to halt the Russian military campaign.

Source: www.aljazeera.com