DID Press: Only hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky reported a “very constructive” call with the U.S. team working to revise Donald Trump’s peace plan, Ukraine once again came under massive Russian missile and drone attacks. Kremenchuk, one of the country’s most important industrial hubs, was among the hardest-hit areas.
Just hours after the conclusion of three days of U.S.–Ukraine negotiations in Florida aimed at advancing the updated version of Trump’s peace proposal, the Russian military launched a series of heavy strikes early Sunday against multiple Ukrainian cities.
On Saturday evening, President Zelensky announced he had held a “very constructive” discussion with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner regarding a potential draft peace agreement. He said both sides had exchanged views on mechanisms to ensure Russia’s compliance with any future deal and that Kyiv remained “determined” to continue cooperating with the United States.
Hours later, Vitaliy Maletsky, the mayor of Kremenchuk, reported that the major industrial city in central Ukraine had come under a “large-scale, combined attack” by Russia—one involving ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and explosive drones. He said the full extent of the damage would not be clear until Sunday morning, but parts of the city had lost water, electricity, and heating. No official casualty figures have yet been released.
Kremenchuk, situated roughly halfway between Kyiv and Ukraine’s eastern front lines, has been repeatedly targeted since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 and serves as one of the country’s key logistical centers.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense also announced that its forces had shot down 77 Ukrainian drones across several regions. This latest operation came less than 24 hours after a larger Russian assault that struck multiple Ukrainian cities.
Meanwhile, Washington has intensified pressure on both Kyiv and Moscow in recent weeks to adopt a multi-point framework for ending the war. Despite cooperation from both sides in the U.S.-led process, there is little indication that their positions are drawing closer.
In a post on X, Zelensky wrote: “Ukraine is determined to continue cooperating with the American side in good faith to achieve a real peace. We reviewed various aspects and discussed key points that could help end the bloodshed and prevent the threat of renewed Russian aggression.”