Massive Russian drone attack kills 7 in Ukraine ahead of US peace talks

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US needs to ramp up ‘pressure on Putin’ to reach ceasefire in Ukraine, expert says

Former U.S. senior diplomat Gregory Slayton joined ‘Fox & Friends First’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s phone call with Russian President Putin and the latest on the war in Gaza after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended. 

Russia launched a massive drone attack targeting Kyiv and other major cities in Ukraine overnight on Sunday, killing at least seven people.

The attack comes just days before Ukrainian and Russian delegations are set to meet for indirect peace talks with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. will mediate the talks and meet with representatives separately.

Ukraine’s air force says Sunday’s attack from Russia involved 147 drones, 97 of which were shot down and another 25 failed to reach their targets.

The attack killed three people in the nation’s capital of Kyiv, including a 5-year-old child. At least 10 others were wounded.

MILITARY LEADERS TO MEET ON UK-FRANCE ‘COALITION OF THE WILLING’ PLAN FOR UKRAINE

Upper floors of a 9-story residential building in the Dniprovskyi district are damaged by a Russian drone strike – a fire broke out in apartments on March 23, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Roman Petushkov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Ukrainians at the scene of the attacks in Kyiv surveyed the damage done to their homes and neighborhoods on Sunday morning. Many were disparaging of the upcoming ceasefire talks, pointing to the burned out homes destroyed in the drone attack, saying these were more indicative of Russia’s true intentions.

MILITARY LEADERS TO MEET ON UK-FRANCE ‘COALITION OF THE WILLING’ PLAN FOR UKRAINE

In an old multistory building on Kyiv’s left bank that was damaged in the overnight attack, Dmytro Zapadnya, 37, said he had no faith in Russia upholding any ceasefire agreement.

“There is no point in signing anything (with Russians), because it will not be worth the cost of paper where you put this signature. Well, the only thing that is not very pleasant is that now the United States seems to have little understanding of our situation,” he said.

President Donald Trump’s administration will mediate indirect peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Saudi Arabia this week.  (Fox News / Special Report)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement that attacks such as the one in Kyiv were a daily occurrence for Ukraine.

“This week alone, more than 1,580 guided aerial bombs, almost 1,100 strike drones and 15 missiles of various types were used against our people,” he said. “New solutions are needed, with new pressure on Moscow to stop both these strikes and this war.”

WHAT’S NEXT IN THE RUSSIA, UKRAINE CEASEFIRE TALKS?

Volodymyr Zelenskyy President of Ukraine says there needs to be “new pressure on Moscow” to end the war. (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

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Ukrainian officials are set to meet with the U.S. a day ahead of the negotiations in Saudi Arabia on Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.