Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Russia unleashed a massive barrage of missiles and attack drones on Ukraine’s capital on December 27, 2025, in an escalation that came just days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida to advance peace negotiations. The overnight assault wrought widespread destruction across Kyiv, killing civilians, injuring dozens, and cutting power and heat to vast swaths of the city amid freezing winter temperatures.
Authorities reported that the strikes, involving nearly 500 drones and around 40 missiles, targeted energy facilities, residential buildings, and other civilian infrastructure, triggering multiple fires and leaving entire districts without electricity or heating. At least two people were killed and dozens more were wounded, including children, according to Ukrainian officials.
“Missiles and drones speak for Russia,” President Zelensky wrote on social media following the assault, condemning Moscow’s actions as evidence that the Kremlin does not want to end the war that began with its full‑scale invasion in February 2022. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government of using the attacks to inflict suffering and undermine global peace efforts.
The Russian Defense Ministry described the operation as a “massive strike” using a range of precision‑guided weapons, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles, claiming it was in retaliation for alleged Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. Moscow also said it targeted energy facilities used by Ukraine’s armed forces and military industry sites, though independent verification of these claims remains limited.
The attacks triggered air raid alerts that lasted for hours, with Kyiv’s air defenses scrambling to intercept incoming ordnance. Images and eyewitness footage from across the capital showed firefighters battling blazes at damaged apartment blocks while residents huddled in shelters as explosions echoed through neighborhoods.
The strikes cut power to hundreds of thousands of homes in Kyiv and surrounding areas, leaving many residents without heat as freezing conditions persisted. Ukrainian authorities worked to restore essential services, but officials warned that full recovery could take days amid ongoing hostilities.
Zelensky, en route to the United States, stopped in Canada for consultations and broader diplomatic engagement. There he met with Canadian leaders who pledged additional economic aid and reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s struggle. Talks with European allies were also held via video conference to align positions ahead of the high‑stakes summit in Florida.
The central focus of the impending meeting with President Trump is a U.S.-brokered peace proposal that Kyiv describes as 90 percent complete, emphasizing security guarantees, reconstruction aid, and a framework for ending the nearly four‑year conflict. Disagreements persist, however, particularly over territorial questions in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the future status of the Russian‑controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The United States has put forward a draft plan with around 20 points, seeking compromises that might include demilitarized zones and economic incentives. Ukrainian officials have indicated a willingness to put aspects of the plan to a referendum if necessary, while defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and rejecting outright territorial concessions.
In response to the strikes, Poland briefly placed its eastern airports on high alert, though no violations of its airspace were reported. The heightened tensions underscore broader regional anxieties about escalation and spillover as diplomatic efforts intensify.
As Zelensky heads into the meeting with Trump, the juxtaposition of devastating attacks and diplomatic maneuvering highlights the profound challenges facing Ukraine and its allies. While Western support remains firm, Russia’s continued offensive operations cast a long shadow over hopes for a negotiated peace, raising questions about Moscow’s intentions and the future course of Europe’s longest conflict since World War II.
