Russia bombards Kyiv with missiles hours after Putin agrees to resume peace talks with Ukraine

Russian forces bombarded Kyiv with 21 ballistic missiles overnight on October 21–22, 2026, killing at least two people and damaging energy, transport, and civilian infrastructure across the city. The attack occurred hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg and agreed in principle to resume trilateral peace talks after November 10. Ukraine responded by launching over 600 drones toward Moscow while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes, calling for urgent air defense supplies and criticizing US diplomatic praise of Putin.

Kyiv ballistic missile strikes

• ▪Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that three of the Russian ballistic missiles launched at Kyiv carried cluster munitions warheads.
• ▪A Russian Iskander missile equipped with a K5 cluster warhead struck the historic Pechersk district in central Kyiv, damaging monastery buildings and civilian infrastructure.
• ▪Russian forces fired 21 ballistic missiles in three waves at Kyiv overnight on October 21–22, 2026.
• ▪None of the 21 Russian ballistic missiles launched at Kyiv overnight on October 21–22, 2026 were intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses.

Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow

• ▪The Russian Defense Ministry reported shooting down over 800 Ukrainian drones across 17 Russian regions, occupied Crimea, and the Black Sea overnight on October 21–22, 2026.
• ▪Ukrainian forces launched approximately 630 drones toward the Moscow region overnight on October 21–22, 2026.
• ▪Ukrainian drone strikes near Moscow on October 21–22, 2026 injured at least two people and caused temporary flight restrictions across all four of Moscow's international airports.

US-mediated trilateral peace talks

• ▪US special envoy Steve Witkoff called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "humanitarian" during their October 21, 2026 meeting after Russia released imprisoned 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard.
• ▪Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle during an October 21, 2026 meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg to resume trilateral peace talks after November 10, 2026.
• ▪Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on October 21, 2026 that Ukraine would accept a ceasefire deal freezing fighting along the current frontline if paired with robust security guarantees.
• ▪Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stated that US peace proposals brought by envoy Steve Witkoff included a scenario where Ukraine cedes the Donbas region in exchange for NATO security guarantees.

Civilian casualties in Kyiv

• ▪A Russian airstrike on a central market in Lozova, Kharkiv region, on October 22, 2026 killed at least two people and injured dozens of civilians.
• ▪Russian missile and drone strikes in Kyiv overnight on October 21–22, 2026 killed at least two people and injured 34 others, including five children.

Infrastructure damage from strikes

• ▪Russian missile strikes in Kyiv damaged residential buildings, energy facilities, shopping centers, an ambulance station, and a railway station.
• ▪Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that Russian strikes damaged subway and transportation infrastructure near the Pivdenny Bridge over the Dnipro River.

Starlink service restoration

• ▪US President Donald Trump stated that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk restored Ukraine's Starlink satellite internet access following recent service restrictions.
• ▪Ukrainian military drone operators reported that speed and bandwidth restrictions on the Starlink satellite system remained largely in place despite claims of restoration.