Egypt Daily News – Kyiv has suffered one of the most intense attacks since the start of the war, resulting in numerous casualties. This escalation coincides with a sharp exchange between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as Washington threatens to withdraw from the peace process unless Kyiv agrees to concede Crimea and four other regions.
At least ten people were killed and over 63 injured in a “large-scale” missile strike on Kyiv early Thursday, April 24, 2025. It marks one of the deadliest assaults on the Ukrainian capital since the war began three years ago.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 70 missiles and 145 drones across six regions of Ukraine. According to AFP, Ukrainian forces “detected and tracked 215 enemy aerial targets,” destroying 112 of them.
The last missile attack on Kyiv occurred in early April, injuring three people. In Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the city was “hit by cruise missiles twice in one night,” injuring at least two people.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of demonstrating through his actions that he has no respect for peace efforts and merely seeks to prolong the war. He criticized Moscow’s “extreme demands” that Ukraine withdraw from more of its territory as a condition for peace.
The attacks coincided with Zelensky’s first visit to South Africa, a country known for its historically pro-Russia stance. Following the assault, Zelensky announced he would cut his visit short to return to Ukraine.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Zelensky said, “I will cancel part of this visit and return to Ukraine immediately after my meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa,” adding that Russia’s strikes “must stop immediately and unconditionally.”
Washington Threatens to Exit Peace Process
The crisis comes amid renewed tension between Donald Trump and Zelensky over efforts to end the war. Trump criticized Zelensky for refusing to acknowledge Russia’s control of Crimea.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance warned that Russia and Ukraine must accept the American peace proposal or face a U.S. withdrawal from the negotiations—a threat Trump also issued last week.
Speaking to reporters in India, Vance said the proposal aims to freeze borders “close to the current status” and establish a long-term diplomatic settlement that could lead to lasting peace. He added, “The only real way to stop the killing is for both armies to lay down their arms and freeze the conflict.”
Zelensky, however, stood firm, stating Ukraine will not recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea: “There is nothing to negotiate here. It is unconstitutional.”
Trump called Zelensky’s position “controversial” and claimed it makes a peace deal harder to reach, adding that Crimea “was lost years ago and is not up for debate.” On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “No one is asking Zelensky to admit Crimea is Russian land. But if he wants it so badly, why didn’t they fight for it 11 years ago when it was handed over without a shot?”
Russia continues to insist that Ukraine must cede Crimea and the four other occupied regions as a precondition for ending the war. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Le Point magazine that Ukrainian forces must withdraw from all annexed territories if Kyiv wants peace.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 in a move widely condemned by the international community. Only a few countries recognize Russia’s sovereignty over the peninsula.
Trump further criticized Zelensky, saying the U.S. is trying to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine and that both sides were “very close to reaching an agreement.” He told reporters that Russia is ready to negotiate an end to the war and added, “I thought dealing with Zelensky would be easier. So far, it hasn’t been—but that’s okay.”
Despite the growing strain, Ukraine’s foreign minister affirmed Kyiv’s commitment to working with the U.S. to achieve peace.
