KYIV, Sept. 23 (Reuters) — Russia launched a major wave of drone strikes against Kyiv on Wednesday, hitting railway infrastructure, warehouses and petrol stations just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss efforts toward ending the war.

At least two people were killed and more than 30 injured in the attack, which continued for several hours from the morning into early afternoon, Ukrainian officials said.

The strikes were described as among the heaviest attacks on Kyiv since Russia began using faster, high-flying jet-powered drones that can be more difficult to intercept.

Explosions were heard across the Ukrainian capital, while smoke rose above central Kyiv and other parts of the city.

Zelenskiy said Russia had launched a large number of drones against Kyiv, including many that were jet-powered. He accused Moscow of continuing to target civilian and critical infrastructure, including pharmaceutical facilities, fuel stations, railways, communications facilities and shopping centers.

A separate Russian aerial bomb attack in a village in the eastern Donetsk region killed at least four people and injured four others, according to the regional governor.

Zelenskiy was scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly later Wednesday. He also called for continued sanctions pressure on Russia, including measures targeting Russian oligarchs.

During his meeting with Trump on Tuesday, Zelenskiy said they discussed a possible bilateral ceasefire covering attacks on energy infrastructure. He also requested additional U.S.-supplied Patriot air defense missiles as Ukraine prepares for what he described as an expected Russian winter campaign against the country’s electricity infrastructure.

Zelenskiy said he was willing to consider “any format” of an energy ceasefire with Moscow, provided Russia also stopped attacking Ukrainian infrastructure. He said, however, that no agreements were reached during his meeting with Trump.

The Kremlin said Wednesday that conditions for future peace negotiations with Ukraine had not yet been established and that there were no plans for high-level talks.

Much of Wednesday’s attack on Kyiv focused on areas around the city’s main railway station. Ukrainian railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said the station itself was not damaged, although railway infrastructure was targeted and one railway employee was injured.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a drone struck a nine-story non-residential building, as well as a business center and warehouses.

Ukrainian energy company Ukrnafta said one of its petrol stations in Kyiv was also hit. Authorities said two petrol stations were damaged in the attacks, with Reuters footage showing one heavily damaged station along a busy highway.

Katarina Mathernova, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, posted that buildings near the EU delegation in Kyiv were burning as a result of the attacks.

The strikes came as Ukrainian workers continued repairing damage to the country’s power network. Energy worker Mykola Nechypurenko expressed doubt that an energy ceasefire could be achieved while the wider war continued.

SOURCE: Reuters, Daniel Flynn and Pavel Polityuk, September 23, 2026.