A fresh Russian attack against Kyiv involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles is putting the "true attitude of Putin and his inner circle" on display, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday, as he prepared to meet with President Donald Trump.
The overnight blitz in Ukraine’s capital left at least one person dead and 27 injured, local authorities told the Associated Press. It unfolded as Zelenskyy is set to meet with Trump in Florida on Sunday, where he said he will share a 20-point peace proposal to end the conflict with Russia.
"Another Russian attack is still ongoing: since last night, there have been almost 500 drones – a large number of ‘shaheds’ – as well as 40 missiles, including Kinzhals. The primary target is Kyiv – energy facilities and civilian infrastructure," Zelenskyy wrote on X on Saturday morning. "Regrettably, there have been hits, and ordinary residential buildings have been damaged. Rescuers are searching for a person trapped under the rubble of one of them."
"There have been many questions over the past few days – so where is Russia’s response to the proposals to end the war offered by the United States and the world? Russian representatives engage in lengthy talks, but in reality, Kinzhals and ‘shaheds’ speak for them. This is the true attitude of Putin and his inner circle," Zelenskyy added. "They do not want to end the war and seek to use every opportunity to cause Ukraine even greater suffering and increase their pressure on others around the world."
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Zelenskyy also said Saturday that, "If Russia turns even the Christmas and New Year period into a time of destroyed homes and burned apartments, of ruined power plants, then this sick activity can only be responded to with truly strong steps."
"The United States has this capability. Europe has this capability. Many of our partners have this capability. The key is to use it," he declared.
Zelenskyy added in another X post later Saturday morning that, "The most important thing is security guarantees."
"Besides territorial issues and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, there are security guarantees that are very important for us. Today, Russia showed how it reacts to the peace negotiations between Ukraine and the United States regarding ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. They massively attacked Ukraine. Precisely on the way to peace negotiations, Russia shows its response," he wrote. "Today, our most important consideration – if we take certain steps – is that security guarantees should be strong and we should be protected. And if the American side raises the question about a referendum or about elections, this certainly cannot be done in the conditions in which we live today."
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"Effective support from Europeans is important to us. We do not have enough additional air defense systems. We need systematic delivery of systems and missiles. More missiles are needed, as Russia attacks more, with more drones and missiles," Zelenskyy also said.
"Ukraine did not start this war. Russia started it. Ukraine supported President Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire. Ukraine has agreed to many different compromises, and this is documented in our draft agreements, in our 20-point plan. Ukraine is willing to do whatever it takes to stop this war," the Ukrainian leader wrote in a third post.
Trump, ahead of the meeting with Zelenskyy, has said he will call the final shots on a peace deal to end the conflict.
"He doesn’t have anything until I approve it," Trump told Politico Friday. "So we’ll see what he’s got."
The Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday that it carried out a "massive strike" overnight, using "long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air, and sea, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles" and drones, on energy infrastructure facilities "used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces," as well as "Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises."
The ministry said the strike came in response to Ukraine’s attacks on "civilian objects" in Russia.
Earlier on Saturday, the ministry said its air defenses shot down seven Ukrainian drones over the Russian regions of Krasnodar and Adygeya overnight.
Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancey and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
