Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he is cutting his official visit to South Africa short and heading back to Ukraine after a Russian missile strike in Kyiv killed at least nine people and injured over 70.

Zelenskyy shared in a Telegram post that he will return to Kyiv after his meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The Ukrainian leader had hoped to gain more support from South Africa in the ongoing war with Russia, which has now lasted for four years. The attack on Kyiv occurred just hours after peace talks seemed to hit a dead end. President Donald Trump criticised Zelenskyy, accusing him of dragging out the conflict by refusing to consider giving up Crimea to Russia in exchange for peace. Later, Trump remarked that dealing with Zelenskyy was more challenging than dealing with Russia. Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that acknowledging the Russian occupation of any Ukrainian territory, like Crimea, is unacceptable for his country.

According to Kyiv City Military Administration, Russia launched an attack on Kyiv using drones and ballistic missiles. The administration reported detecting at least 45 drones, and the Ukrainian Air Force planned to provide updated numbers later. At least 42 people have been hospitalised in Kyiv, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Rescue efforts are still ongoing early Thursday morning to search for bodies under the debris. In a residential building in Kyiv that was almost completely destroyed, emergency workers were digging through the rubble with their hands. They managed to rescue a woman who was trapped, covered in white dust, and moaning in pain. An elderly woman was also found sitting against a brick wall, her face covered in blood, staring in shock as medics treated her injuries. 

There were reports of fires in several residential buildings, as stated by Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration. The attack began around 1:00 AM and affected at least five neighbourhoods in the city. In the Sviatoshynkskyi district, a fire broke out in a residential building damaged by the strike.