“Explosions in the capital. Air defense forces are actively engaged. Please remain in shelters!” Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Telegram.
Ukraine’s air force also issued a nationwide air alert early on Saturday, stating via social media that drones and missiles were detected over various Ukrainian regions, including the capital.
AFP reporters in Kyiv heard several sharp explosions, some accompanied by bright flashes that illuminated the horizon in orange hues.
The air alert coincides with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky preparing to meet President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to discuss a proposed plan aimed at ending the conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2022.
On Friday, Russia accused Zelensky and his EU allies of attempting to undermine the US-brokered plan.
The latest proposal consists of 20 points that would pause the war at its current front lines while allowing Ukraine to withdraw troops from the east, where demilitarized buffer zones could be established, according to details shared by Zelensky earlier this week.
