Russia fires dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles at Kyiv as Zelensky meets U.S. envoys

Russia resumed airstrikes on Kyiv early on Tuesday, September 8, shortly after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner left the Ukrainian capital following talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian ballistic missiles struck the city and injured six people, while the Kyiv military administration reported damage to residential buildings from falling debris. Reuters reported the attack came after a temporary halt in strikes on the capitals during the envoys’ visit. The timing put the missile strike alongside a renewed U.S. diplomatic push. Witkoff and Kushner had met Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday after talks in Moscow, where the Kremlin said it did not rule out resuming three-way negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Zelensky said after the meeting that “several new ideas” were discussed, while Witkoff said he was “confident” there could be a “good resolution.” (usnews.com) ### How large was the strike on Kyiv? Reuters reported that Russia attacked Kyiv with ballistic missiles early on September 8 and that explosions were heard across the city. Klitschko said people were trapped in a residential building and that fires broke out in several parts of the capital after what he described as Russian ballistic missile strikes. (yahoo.com) The Kyiv military administration said a five-storey apartment building and a three-storey residential block were damaged by falling debris. Ukrinform separately reported that the overnight attack involved missiles and drones and that the number of injured later rose to seven, with two people killed. ### What do officials say was hit? (usnews.com) Klitschko said the strike damaged residential areas and triggered fires, while the Kyiv military administration said debris hit apartment buildings. Reuters reported that emergency warnings followed the missile attack and that residents were told to seek shelter. Ukrinform reported that local officials described damage in Kyiv and said the attack formed part of a broader overnight Russian assault. (usnews.com) Because casualty figures shifted through the morning, the reported toll moved from six injured in early official statements to two dead and seven injured in later updates carried by Ukrinform. ### Why were U.S. envoys in Kyiv? Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were in Kyiv for their first visit to the Ukrainian capital since the war began, CNN reported. The two men pushed for a return to trilateral talks among the United States, Russia and Ukraine after what Kushner called substantive discussions with Ukrainian officials. Kushner said he preferred trilateral talks because all sides could communicate directly, and Zelensky said Ukraine must do everything possible to ensure such meetings take place, potentially with European partners as well. (ukrinform.net) Reuters reported the envoys had arrived from Moscow, where they had held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. ### Did the attack affect countries beyond Ukraine? (yahoo.com) Poland’s armed forces said military aviation operations were launched to protect Polish airspace because of the risk of violation during the attack, Reuters reported. Poland, a NATO and European Union member bordering Ukraine, has repeatedly raised readiness levels during major Russian strikes near its frontier. (yahoo.com) ### What comes next in the diplomacy? Zelensky said on September 7 that Ukraine wanted to use September and October to resume negotiations, according to Ukrinform’s news index. CNN reported that Witkoff and Kushner said they hoped progress toward renewed trilateral talks could come soon, though no breakthrough was announced after the Kyiv meeting. (usnews.com) Trump was expected to speak with Putin and then Zelensky after receiving a briefing on the envoys’ trip, according to reporting cited by Yahoo from CNN-linked coverage of the diplomatic push. The next test is whether the proposed trilateral format moves from discussion to a scheduled meeting involving Kyiv, Moscow and Washington. (yahoo.com) (ukrinform.net)