Putin Orders 72-Hour Strike Pause on Kyiv as US Envoys Visit Moscow
- Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv, according to the Kremlin.
- The conflict sees intensified aerial bombardments and a recent drone strike on Ukrainian security headquarters.
- envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin and attempt to revive negotiations aimed at ending the full-scale invasion, according to Tass...
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 72-hour pause in strikes on Kyiv, according to the Kremlin. The temporary halt, which presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated would begin at midnight, coincides with a diplomatic visit to Moscow and Kyiv by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to revive stalled peace talks.
Kremlin Orders 72-Hour Kyiv Strike Halt
The conflict sees intensified aerial bombardments and a recent drone strike on Ukrainian security headquarters.
U.S. Envoys Arrive for High-Stakes Talks
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin and attempt to revive negotiations aimed at ending the full-scale invasion, according to Tass reports. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev met the delegation at the airport, welcoming them with photographs shared alongside the caption, “Welcome to Moscow Peacemakers.”
Peskov confirmed to Tass that Kushner and Witkoff would meet directly with Putin during their trip, though he noted there was “no talk of new ideas” to resolve the conflict. The visit marks the first time Witkoff and Kushner have traveled to Kyiv, following a previous trip to Moscow in January. Washington’s diplomatic push has faced hurdles over the past six months as U.S. attention became diverted by the conflict with Iran.
Air War Escalates Along Front Line
The diplomatic initiative arrives as both sides escalate aerial attacks along the 1,250-kilometer front line. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Friday that Ukraine would halt airstrikes during the envoys’ visit and urged Moscow to reciprocate.
Prior to the announced pause, a Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service, the SBU, in Kyiv. Zelenskyy also reported overnight strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil international airports, connecting the attacks directly to preparations for the U.S. delegation’s travel.
Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the U.s. side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine,
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine has taken note of the Russian move and plans to adjust its operations regarding airspace next week, affirming that there will be no threats to diplomacy from the Ukrainian side.
Deadly Strikes Hit Southern Dnipropetrovsk
Away from the capital, Russian attacks continued to inflict civilian casualties. Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the local military administration, reported that five people were killed and five others wounded at an industrial facility in the southern Dnipropetrovsk region.
The victims were identified by Hanzha as everyday workers carrying out their shifts.
A locksmith, an electrician, a plumber and a machinist. People of peaceful professions. They were simply working their shift. They were doing their job when enemy missiles cut off their lives,
Oleksandr Hanzha
An additional attack in the region’s Nikopol district wounded a 62-year-old man and damaged several homes and an apartment building, according to regional reports.