Russia’s three-day pause on strikes against Kyiv appeared to unravel before its own stated deadline Monday, as Russian drones were detected over the capital while US-led diplomatic efforts were still underway.
The temporary halt had been tied to visits by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv as Washington sought to revive negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
At 8:45 p.m. Monday, Ukraine’s Air Force warned of a jet-powered Russian drone over Kyiv, while several others were reported approaching the capital – more than three hours before Moscow’s stated 11:59 p.m. deadline.
The attacks intensified overnight. A series of strong explosions rang out across Kyiv early Tuesday as Russia launched missile and drone strikes on the capital and surrounding region.
The blasts were heard by Kyiv Post reporters across the city at around 3:30 a.m., after authorities declared an air raid alert and warned of a missile attack.
Russian drones also struck the Boryspil and Fastiv districts of Kyiv region. Fires broke out at industrial facilities in Boryspil, seven trucks were destroyed, and a logistics complex was struck twice, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.
Questions over when pause ended
Russian state news agency TASS reported that the three-day suspension ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin had expired.
However, its precise timing remained disputed. As Kyiv Post reported earlier Monday, Russian accounts said the halt began at midnight between Friday and Saturday, placing its expiration at 11:59 p.m. Monday.
Russian drone activity was reported well before that deadline. At 8:45 p.m. Monday, Ukraine’s Air Force warned of a jet-powered drone over Kyiv, while several others were reported approaching the capital – suggesting Moscow breached even the timeline it had publicly set for the truce.
The pause was limited largely to strikes on Kyiv and Moscow rather than a broader ceasefire.
Russian attacks elsewhere in Ukraine continued throughout the weekend. On Saturday, explosions were heard near Boryspil during an air raid alert, while strikes in other regions killed and wounded civilians.
‘Better than Patriot’
Putin agreed to the temporary halt as Witkoff and Kushner traveled to Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend as part of Washington’s latest effort to revive negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The brief pause came only after Kyiv and the surrounding region had endured more than eight consecutive days of Russian drone and missile attacks, repeatedly forcing residents into shelters and putting additional strain on Ukraine’s air defenses.
The sudden quiet during the US envoys’ visit prompted Zelensky to joke about their effect on the capital’s security.
“Today, you worked even better than the Patriot systems for our citizens here in the capital,” Zelensky told Witkoff and Kushner, urging them to “come visit more often.”
Witkoff later said the meetings had produced progress and raised the prospect of renewed trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the US.
But Russia’s failure to abide by even a brief three-day truce underscored a familiar reality for Ukrainians: even high-level diplomacy has failed to stop Moscow from bombarding innocent civilians in Ukrainian cities.