Zelenskyy says Russia used cluster warheads in overnight strikes on Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched missiles equipped with cluster warheads against Kyiv and other locations overnight, causing at least four deaths and 34 injuries, including five children. He noted that the missiles detonate in the air, covering a 400-meter radius and striking a wide area.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry confirmed the casualties, while Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses shot down 808 Ukrainian drones and that two people were injured in the attacks. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 600 drones were fired toward Moscow between late Wednesday and early Thursday.

Zelenskyy linked the strikes to recent diplomatic activity, stating that the attacks followed the release of American prisoner Stephen Hubbard and a meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. He added that twelve Ukrainian regions were hit, including Kyiv’s historic Pechersk district, where civilian buildings such as monasteries, homes, and cafés were damaged.

The use of cluster munitions, which are prohibited by the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions signed by over 100 countries, was highlighted by Zelenskyy as a violation of international norms. Russia, like the United States, has not ratified the treaty.

In related remarks, Zelenskyy suggested that if President Donald Trump cannot influence Putin, the United States should supply interceptor missiles to Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later responded, expressing frustration over accusations that the U.S. was deliberately harming Ukraine and emphasizing a balance between obligations to partners and domestic requirements.