Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and head of military intelligence Kyrill Budanov (File)

Saturday’s Coverage: Russia Murders 2+, Injures 38+ in Attacks on Kyiv

UPDATE 2033 GMT:

The leaders of US and Ukrainian delegations have expressed optimism after talks in Florida on how to end Russia’s invasion.

In a press briefing, US Secretary of Marco Rubio said the meetings were “very productive”, with a focus on Ukraine’s “long-term prosperity” as well as a halt to Moscow’s attacks.

“I thought we started laying the groundwork in Geneva. I think we continued that work in our communications throughout the week. I think we’ve built on that today, but there’s more work to be done,” Rubio said. “This is delicate, it’s complicated, there are a lot of moving parts, and, obviously, there’s another party involved here.”

Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Committee, said the talks were “productive and successful”: “We discussed all the matters that are important for Ukraine. And the U.S. was super-supportive.”

Other officials offered mixed assessments. One told CNN that the conversations were “tough but very constructive” on some of “the most sensitive issues”.

“So far so good,” they summarized.

Another, close to the Ukrainian delegation, was more guarded in remarks to AFP: “Not easy. The search for formulations and solutions continues. Everyone is interested in a practical result so that there is a subject for further negotiations between the US and Russia.”

UPDATE 1754 GMT:

A high-level Ukrainian delegation is meeting American counterparts in Florida.

A soundbite from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has held out against the pro-Kremlin maneuvers of Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, backed by Vice President J.D. Vance:

Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergiy Kyslytsya added, citing the head of delegation Rustem Umerov:

UPDATE 1747 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has conferred by phone with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Topics included the “diplomatic situation“, measures to strengthen resilience amid Russia’s strikes on infrastructure and the energy sector, and “joint measures” with NATO members.

UPDATE 1523 GMT:

Ukraine and Norway have agreed on joint production of drones, with the pilot line to be launched in 2026.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal and Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik signed the pact on Sunday.

Ukraine will share experience and innovations for Norway to provide a “strong production base, as well as research and development cooperation with leading Norwegian institutions”.

UPDATE 1506 GMT:

At least five civilians have been murdered and at least 38 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses intercepted 104 of 122 drones. Russia also launched two ballistic missiles.

In the Kyiv region, a man was slain and 19 people wounded, including four children, in Vyshhorod. The town is 15 km (9 miles) north of Kyiv.

In the Kherson region in the south, two civilians were murdered and seven injured amid damage to 11 houses and private vehicles.

In the Donetsk region in the east, two people were killed and five wounded.

A child was injured in the Zaporizhzhia region, and casualties were also reported in the Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a photograph of the attack on Vyshhorod and commented:

This week alone, the Russians have used nearly 1,400 attack drones, 1,100 guided aerial bombs, and 66 missiles against our people. This is exactly why we must strengthen Ukraine’s resilience every single day. Missiles and air-defense systems are essential, and just as crucial is active work with our partners for peace. We need real, reliable solutions that will help end this war.

UPDATE 1457 GMT:

Polish President Karol Nawrocki has cancelled a meeting with Viktor Orbán after the Hungarian Prime Minister, a long-time ally of Vladimir Putin, visited the Kremlin to discuss energy links.

Nawrocki and Orban were set to meet on Thursday, a day after the Visegrad Group summit of the Presidents of Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia in Budapest.

“President K. Nawrocki decided to limit the program of his visit to Hungary exclusively to the summit of the presidents of the Visegrad Group,” said Marcin Przydacz, head of the Polish Presidency’s international policy office. “Europe’s security depends on solidarity action, including in the field of energy.”

While the European Union is phasing out imports of Russian gas, nuclear energy, and oil by January 2027, Orbán said Hungary will defy the cutoff.

Budapest relies on Russia for 86% of its oil, up from 61% before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

UPDATE 1005 GMT:

Amid his collusion with the Kremlin, Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff suggested that Ukraine seek a ten-year tariff waiver from US rather than Tomahawk cruise missiles for strikes inside Russia.

According to officials, Witkoff told Kyiv that a tariff waiver would provide an economic stimulus. “What good could a handful of missiles do?” he said.

The envoy neither confirmed nor denied the report, but said he was “in the business of making deals”: “We continue to knock on doors and offer ideas.”

On October 14, with the Administration considering the sale of the Tomahawks, Witkoff conferred with Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov. He told the Russian that Putin should call Trump, flattering the TV star to stave off Ukraine’s request.

Two days later, Putin made the call. A day after that, Trump told Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in a White House meeting that the Tomahawks would not be delivered.

UPDATE 0956 GMT:

The owner of a leading Chinese drone parts supplier has taken a 5% stake in a prominent Russian UAV company.

Wang Dinghua has invested in Rustakt, a manufacturer of the VT-40 first-person-view drone widely used by Russia in attacks on Ukrainian forces.

Shenzhen Minghuaxin and other companies owned by Wang are important suppliers of drone parts to Rustakt and its allied companies.

A day after the September filing was discovered by the Financial Times, all of Rustakt’s ownership records were suppressed and removed from official corporate registries in Russia. Information about the share transfer has been expunged from private corporate intelligence sites.

Rustakt was the largest importer of components for FPV drones in Russia between July 2023 and February 2025.

UPDATE 0941 GMT:

Euromaidan Press remembers the start of the Maidan Revolution in November 2013, when Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych unleashed riot police on protesters in Kyiv challenging corruption and seeking rights and reforms.

Less than three months later, Yanukovych fled to Moscow.

UPDATE 0829 GMT:

A man has been murdered and 19 people injured, including four children, by a Russian drone attack on the town of Vyshhorod in the Kyiv region.

Eleven people have been hospitalized with burns, shrapnel wounds, and poisoning from smoke inhalation.

A fire was set in a multi-story apartment building, from which 146 people were evacuated.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Seeking the Trump Administration’s support against Russia’s invasion — despite the collusion of some Administration officials with the Kremlin — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has praised the “constructive approach” of the US.

In his nightly address to the nation, Zelensky referred to the Ukrainian delegation arriving in the US on Saturday evening, following up meetings in Geneva last weekend.

The dialogue based on the Geneva points will continue. Diplomacy remains active. The American side is demonstrating a constructive approach, and in the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end.

Colluding with Vladimir Putin’s senior economic advisor Kirill Dmitriev, Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner developed a Russian initiative for Kyiv’s surrender of territory and long-term restrictions on the rest of Ukraine.

However, Kyiv’s European partners established a counter-proposal in Geneva, obtaining the support of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Ukrainian delegation in the US this week will be led by military intelligence head Kyrill Budanov and Rustem Umerov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council. They succeed Zelensky’s former Chief of Staff Andrii Yermak, who resigned on Friday because he is under investigation in a $100 million corruption case.

Zelensky also spoke about Russia’s mass strikes across Ukraine early Saturday, with the firing of almost 600 drones and 36 missiles.

The President noted that almost 560 UAVs and 19 missiles were intercepted as the Russians targeted energy infrastructure and other civilian sites.

Six civilians were murdered and dozens wounded in air alerts that lasted nine hours.

Zelensky assured:

We are preparing for next week’s work with our partners, including to ensure a higher quality of our air defense. We are very much counting on our partners’ support.