Buildings Damaged in Kyiv after Russian Strike

Russian forces hit Ukraine’s capital and key energy facilities with a massive airstrike on the eve of talks between Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Donald Trump aimed at nailing down a plan to end Moscow’s war.  Ukraine’s president told reporters from his plane on Saturday that he’ll stop in Halifax, Nova Scotia, en route to the US, meeting there with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Together, the pair will hold a video call with European leaders. Zelenskiy reiterated Ukraine’s need for legally binding security guarantees from allies if hostilities are brought to an end.  More than 500 drones and 40 missiles — including Kinzhal hypersonic weapons — were launched in a barrage that started overnight and continued throughout the day on Saturday, hitting civilian targets and energy facilities. Air raid sirens have sounded in the capital for about 16 hours.  “Russian representatives engage in lengthy talks, but in reality, Kinzhals and ‘Shaheds’ speak for them,” Zelenskiy said.  The barrage killed one person in Kyiv and injured at least 30, disrupted power and water supplies, and sparked fires across several districts. About one-third of the city of over 3 million residents was left without heating with temperatures hovering around freezing.  More than 600,000 households in Kyiv and the surrounding region are without electricity, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Telegram. “Russians are pursuing a campaign built on instilling exhaustion, cold, and fear,” she added. Several high-rise residential buildings, as well as cars and other property, were set ablaze, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. Authorities imposed emergency power cuts in the capital, overriding rolling blackouts that had already been scheduled, while water supplies were also disrupted.  The Chernihiv region in northern Ukraine also saw power cuts, Ukraine’s energy ministry said. In late afternoon, Ukraine’s air force command said it had identified a missile headed toward Myrhorod in central Ukraine.  Russia attacked gas extraction and heating producing facilities operated by Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state-run energy company, CEO Sergii Koretskyi said on Facebook. “Obviously, these attacks are synchronized with cold,” he said.  Russia’s defense ministry said in a post on Telegram that its strikes “targeted energy infrastructure used by Ukraine’s armed forces as well as defense industry facilities,” and that “all targets were hit.” Separately, Moscow’s mayor reported six drones in the vicinity of the capital, with Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo airports suspending flights for a time.  The barrage is unfolding a day before Zelenskiy is set to meet with Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, in pursuit of a deal to end Russia’s nearly four-year invasion.  Zelenskiy said Friday that he plans to refine Kyiv’s agreements with the US as much as possible, with a comprehensive 20-point peace plan then requiring input from Russia and Europe. He plans to discuss sensitive issues with Trump, including the future of the Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as well as a long-term roadmap for Ukraine’s battered economy.  Sunday’s meeting is set for 3 p.m. local time, according to Trump’s official schedule. The US leader is spending the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago club.  Read more: Ukraine Security Plan Has Robust Protections, Officials Say  Besides Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian negotiating team will include top envoy Rustem Umerov, economy minister Oleksii Sobelev, chief of the General Staff Andriy Hnatov, presidential office adviser Oleksandr Bevz, and first deputy foreign minister Sergiy Kyslytsya.   Zelenskiy told Axios on Friday that he’s ready to put an eventual framework agreement to a referendum if Russia agrees to a ceasefire of at least 60 days. -------- Watch Bloomberg Radio LIVE on YouTube Weekdays 7am-6pm ET WATCH HERE: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/BloombergRadio Subscribe to our Podcasts: Bloomberg Daybreak: http://bit.ly/3DWYoAN Bloomberg Surveillance: http://bit.ly/3OPtReI Bloomberg Intelligence: http://bit.ly/3YrBfOi Balance of Power: http://bit.ly/3OO8eLC Bloomberg Businessweek: http://bit.ly/3IPl60i Listen on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business app: Apple CarPlay: https://apple.co/486mghI Android Auto: https://bit.ly/49benZy Visit our YouTube channels: Bloomberg Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/bloombergpodcasts Bloomberg Television: https://www.youtube.com/@markets Bloomberg Originals: https://www.youtube.com/bloomberg Quicktake: https://www.youtube.com/@BloombergQuicktake