Ukrainian officials say that Russia pounded the capital with yet another major missile and drone attack. At least least two people were killed in the attack overnight into Thursday. The strikes caused fires across Kyiv a day after the heaviest aerial attack of the war so far. An official in Kyiv said at least 22 people were wounded in the latest barrage. Russia has recently sought to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses with major attacks that include increasing numbers of decoy drones. The pressure has caused alarm among Ukrainian officials who are uncertain about continuing vital military aid from the United States and U.S. President Donald Trump's policy toward Russia.

Officials say Russian attacks on Ukraine have killed at least 11 civilians and injured more than 80 others, including seven children. Authorities said Russia fired more than 100 drones at civilian areas of Ukraine overnight and into Monday. Meanwhile, Russian's transport minister was found dead in what authorities said was an apparent suicide — news that broke hours after the Kremlin announced he had been dismissed by President Vladimir Putin. The firing of Roman Starovoit followed a weekend of travel chaos when airports grounded hundreds of flights due to the threat of drone attacks from Ukraine, although Russian officials did not give a reason for his dismissal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging greater international pressure on Moscow. Zelenskyy's remarks came two days after a Russian missile strike hit a Kyiv apartment building and killed 23 people. Zelenskyy visited the site with top officials on Thursday. He called the attack a sign that Russia is rejecting ceasefire efforts. Zelenskyy thanked allies ready to push the Kremlin to "feel the real cost of the war." The strike was part of Russia's largest assault on Kyiv this year amid a broader offensive along the front line. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he's open to talks on ending the war. Putin has effectively rejected U.S. ceasefire offers.

Russia struck Ukraine with a thunderous aerial bombardment overnight, further dampening hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon. The attack Friday killed at least four people and injured about 50 others. It came days after Kyiv embarrassed the Kremlin with a surprising drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia and just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the it might be better to let Ukraine and Russia "fight for a while" before pulling them apart and pursuing peace. Trump's comments were a remarkable detour from his often-stated appeals to stop the war and signaled he may be giving up on recent peace efforts.

Ukrainian officials say at least five people, including a 1-year-old child, his mother and grandmother, were killed in a Russian drone strike on a northern Ukrainian overnight. Local authorities say six Shahed-type drones struck residential areas of Pryluky shortly before dawn Thursday. The attack came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. According to Trump, Putin said "very strongly" that Russia will retaliate for Ukraine's stunning drone attacks on Russian military airfields on Sunday. Officials also said Thursday that 19 people were wounded in a Russian drone strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, including children, a pregnant woman, and a 93-year-old woman.

A Russian rocket attack targeted the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing at least four people and wounding 25. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced Tuesday's assault, saying it underscored that Moscow has no intentions of halting the 3-year-old war. The attack came a day after direct peace talks in Istanbul made no progress on ending the fighting. Local authorities said the barrage of rockets struck apartment buildings and a medical facility in the center of Sumy. Meanwhile, Ukraine's secret services said they struck inside Russia again, two days after a spectacular Ukrainian drone attack on air bases deep inside the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed putting Ukraine under external governance under the auspices of the U.N. as part of efforts to reach a peaceful settlement. It was a statement that reflected his determination to achieve his war goals. In televised remarks early Friday, Putin reaffirmed his claim that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose term expired last year, lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal. Kyiv maintains that elections are impossible to hold amid a war. Putin claimed that any agreement that is signed with the current Ukrainian government could be challenged by its successors.

Senior military officers from countries across Europe and beyond are meeting outside London to flesh out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine as details of a partial ceasefire are worked out. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the coalition led by Britain and France is moving into an operational phase. But it's unclear how many countries are willing to send troops, or whether there will be any ceasefire to protect. Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire on Wednesday, though it remained to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be protected.

Ukrainian officials said Russia had targeted energy facilities with dozens of missiles and drones in a nighttime attack. The barrage hobbled the country's ability to deliver heat and light to its citizens and to power weapons factories vital to its defenses. The overnight onslaught — which also pounded residences and wounded at least 10 people — came days after the U.S. suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine to pressure it into accepting a peace deal being pushed by the Trump administration. Also on Friday, the U.S. government said it halted Ukrainian access to unclassified satellite images that had been used to help it fight back against Russia.

A shortage of infantry troops and supply routes under Russian drone attacks have dealt a blow to Ukrainian forces around the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk. The crucial supply hub lies at the confluence of highways leading to key cities in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian commanders say they do not have enough reserves to sustain defense lines and new recruits are unprepared and sometimes abandon positions. Heavy fog in recent days prevented Ukrainians from effectively using surveillance drones, allowing Russian troops to control dominant heights and take more territory.