RUSSIA hit Kiev with a mass drone and missile attack early today, killing at least one person and injuring 33 in the Ukrainian capital.

Ukraine’s air force said its air defences had shot down or jammed 693 targets overnight, including 41 missiles and 652 drones of various types across the country. 

Fifteen missiles and 23 drones scored direct hits across 24 locations, the air force said. Debris from downed drones fell across an additional 18 locations.

The attack, in which Kiev was the primary target, came hours after a rare daytime barrage of drones on Wednesday.

Ukrainian officials said the attack was Russia’s response to US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said ballistic and cruise missiles had been used in the mass attack. “These are definitely not the actions of those who believe the war is coming to an end,” he said, urging partners not to stay silent and calling for continued support for Ukraine’s air defences.

Neither President Vladimir Putin or Mr Trump have provided details about what has changed to make a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict possible, with Moscow and Kiev maintaining mutually exclusive demands over security and land captured during the conflict.