Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cut short a trip to South Africa after Vladimir Putin’s forces killed at least eight people and injured dozens more in a missile strike on Kyiv. Listen to the Trump 100 podcast – on how close Trump really is to securing a peace deal – as you scroll.
Thursday 24 April 2025 09:59, UK
Live reporting by Mark Wyatt
Russia’s missile and drone attack on Kyiv is the deadliest to hit Ukraine’s capital in almost a year.
Kyiv’s mayor says eight people have died in the latest attack, the most in a single day since 8 July 2024, when officials reported 33 deaths and 121 injuries after a massive missile strike.
The latest attacks follows a pattern of recent Russian strikes that have resulted in high civilian casualties.
In April alone, 21 people were killed in Kryvyy Rih, 35 were killed in Sumy and another nine were killed in Marhanets yesterday.
We’re hearing from Russia for the first time today.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, has accused Volodymyr Zelenskyy of „wrecking“ diplomacy aimed at reaching a peace deal after he refused to agree to recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
She told reporters it was becoming clearer by the minute that Ukraine’s president lacked the capacity to negotiate a deal to end the war.
She also said European counties supplying weapons to Kyiv were encouraging Zelenskyy to pursue the war, regardless of casualties.
Zakharova’s comments echo those of Donald Trump, who yesterday said Zelenskyy’s stance over Crimea will „do nothing but prolong“ the conflict.
Kyiv’s mayor has provided an update from the Ukrainian capital after Russia’s overnight strikes there.
Vitali Klitschko said eight people had been so far confirmed killed in the capital, although officials put the toll at nine earlier.
He said 77 people have been injured in the attack and that 31 people are in hospital, with search and rescue operations ongoing.
Ukrainian authorities have said Kyiv was hit the hardest during Russia’s overnight drone and missile attack.
Vira, a resident of Ukraine’s capital, said she didn’t have time to get out of her building before it exploded.
„Everything in our house just flew away. And I didn’t see anything. I’m scared.“
A man has been pulled alive from the ruins of a house destroyed during Russia’s overnight attack on Kyiv, Ukraine’s emergency services have said.
Pavlo Petrov, spokesperson for the State Emergency Service in Kyiv, told Ukrainian media that a man reported to be under 30 was trapped for more than six hours before he was found.
The man was conscious, which allowed rescuers to locate him, Petrov said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
„We took a moment of silence, and he responded to the rescue workers‘ voice,“ he added.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just posted on Telegram reacting to Russia’s deadly overnight attacks across Ukraine.
He says 44 days have passed since Kyiv agreed to a complete ceasefire but says Russia „continues to kill people and avoid tough pressure and accountability for this“.
„It is very important that everyone in the world sees and understands what is really happening.“
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Reflecting on missile and drone attacks launched by Moscow overnight, Zelenskyy said there was „a lot of destruction“ and that, as of now, „more than 80 people have been injured throughout Ukraine“.
He adds he has asked Ukraine’s defence minister to „immediately contact our partners regarding our requests to strengthen air defence“.
South Africa visit cut short
As we mentioned earlier, Zelenskyy is in South Africa this morning, where he will meet with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
But, after last night’s attacks, Ukraine’s leader says he will now cut short part of his visit and immediately return to Ukraine.
He says foreign minister Andrii Sybiha will instead hold „all necessary meetings“ in South Africa to „fully inform the country’s political and public leaders about the situation“.
Ukraine’s air force says Russia launched 215 drones and missiles at the country during its overnight attack.
It said the attack involved 11 ballistic missiles, 55 cruise missiles, four glide bombs and 145 drones.
Of those, 48 missiles and 64 drones were shot down, it added. It said 68 drones were „lost in location“, likely as a result of Ukraine’s use of electronic warfare to misdirect them.
It said the „main direction of the attack“ was Kyiv, where Ukrainian authorities have reported at least nine people were killed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Pretoria last night for talks today with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on bilateral cooperation and efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Commenting on the visit, Zelenskyy said he would meet Ramaphosa as well as other political and civil representatives.
„It is crucial to bring a just peace closer. We are working to ensure that the G20 countries are actively engaged in diplomatic efforts“ he said.
South Africa has remained neutral in the war in Ukraine.
Ramaphosa held a phone call with Vladimir Putin on Monday, stating that the two leaders had affirmed „strong bilateral relations“ and a commitment to work together toward a peaceful end to the war.
A „major rescue operation“ is under way in Kyiv after Russia’s overnight drone and missile attack.
„Mobile phones can be heard ringing under the ruins,“ Ukraine’s interior minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. „The search will continue until everybody is got out.“
Klymenko said engineering forces, climbers and search dogs were all being used to help emergency services in the rescue operation.
More than 70 people suffered injuries from the attack, with nine people so far confirmed to have died.
As well as hitting Kyiv with overnight attacks, Russian missile and drone strikes were also reported in various other regions of Ukraine.
The country’s interior minister said Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia oblasts were all hit in the „massive combined strike,“ but Kyiv was hit hardest.
The capital’s military chief, Tymur Tkachenko, described the attack as „Russian peace in all its glory.“
In response to the attack, Poland’s air force scrambled allied fighter jets to protect the country’s own airspace from missiles that may stray into Polish territory.
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Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy cuts foreign trip short after deadly Russian attack on Kyiv – Sky News
