Overnight, a Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv, resulted in one fatality and injuries to four individuals, including a nine-year-old girl.
The Ukrainian military reported intercepting six out of seven ballistic missiles and 71 drones launched by Russia. Despite this, the attacks triggered several fires across the city.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed damage in several districts of Kyiv, including Holosiivskyi, Podilskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Obolonskyi.
Separately, the city of Kryvyi Rih also suffered damage to residential buildings and infrastructure from Russian strikes on Tuesday night, according to the Dnipropetrovsk regional governor.
These attacks occurred shortly after President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated Ukraine’s potential willingness to consider territorial concessions in potential peace negotiations with Russia.
On the Russian side, the governor of Belgorod reported the death of a woman in a Ukrainian drone strike within the region.
“There are no words that could console the family and friends in such grief,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram.
In an interview with The Guardian published on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated his willingness to consider a territorial exchange with Russia as part of potential future peace negotiations.
Zelensky suggested that areas of Russia’s Kursk region—captured by Ukrainian forces during an offensive six months ago—could potentially be returned in exchange for Ukrainian land currently under Russian occupation.
While Ukraine has not previously expressed intentions to permanently retain the hundreds of square kilometers it controls in the Kursk region, recent developments suggest that the idea of leveraging the territory in negotiations is becoming more defined.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the proposal outright, stating that any discussion on territorial exchanges was “impossible” and that Russia would not entertain such talks.
Similarly, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, rejected Zelensky’s remarks, calling them “nonsense.”
“Peace through strength, you say?,” he said, mocking a phrase used by Zelensky in international addresses. Medvedev appeared to suggest the overnight attack was how Russia could achieve that goal.
Initially, Ukraine’s offensive in the Kursk region was intended to ease pressure on its overstretched forces along other parts of the front line.
However, with Russia maintaining battlefield superiority, President Zelensky now appears to be using the captured territory as a bargaining tool in diplomatic efforts.
Zelensky has acknowledged that Ukraine cannot secure long-term safety without the backing of its most powerful ally, the United States.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been advocating for a swift resolution to the conflict. During his election campaign last year, he claimed he could negotiate an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion within a single day.
Last month, in a social media post, Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that he would impose steep tariffs and additional sanctions if Moscow did not bring the war to a close.
While Putin has repeatedly expressed willingness to negotiate, he insists that any peace deal must recognize Russia’s territorial gains, which currently amount to approximately 20% of Ukraine’s land.
Zelensky has previously acknowledged that some areas under Russian control might need to be temporarily ceded. However, his remarks to The Guardian mark the first time he has suggested the possibility of making permanent territorial concessions.
Additionally, Putin remains firm in his stance against Ukraine joining NATO, the Western military alliance.
On Friday, Zelensky is scheduled to meet with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who has been critical of American military aid to Kyiv. Meanwhile, Trump has hinted at a potential meeting with Ukraine’s president following the Munich Security Conference over the weekend.
The White House has also signaled interest in Ukraine’s natural resources as part of discussions surrounding continued U.S. support.
