Russialaunched ballistic missiles on Kyiv just hours after Witkoff's visit to Moscow
Russian forces launched a series of ballistic missile and drone attacks on Kyiv overnight into October 22, killing at least one person and injuring 24 others, including four children, according to Ukrainian officials. President Volodymyr Zelensky later reported two people killed and 34 injured, including five children, across Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast.
The strikes targeted multiple districts of the capital, including transport and medical infrastructure. Russian forces used Iskander-M, S-400, Zircon and Onyx missiles, along with more than 200 drones, many of them jet-powered. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted the majority of the drones. One Iskander missile was reported to have carried a cluster warhead designed to cause widespread casualties over a large area.
Damage was recorded at medical facilities, a paramedic station where several ambulances were destroyed, residential buildings, a restaurant, a monastery, and transport infrastructure, including parts of the Southern Bridge used by the metro system. Power and communications outages affected parts of the city. Energy infrastructure, particularly substations, was also targeted.
The attack came just hours after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, where both sides expressed readiness to resume trilateral peace talks. Zelensky described the overnight strikes as three waves of ballistic attacks launched by “Russian humanists.” The assault continues Russia’s intensified campaign of missile and drone strikes against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities this fall.
Ukrainian military intelligence reveals new Russian cruise missile 'Filin'
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) has released details of a new Russian cruise missile known as the “Filin,” including a 3-D model and a list of its components and electronics. Russia began deploying the missile at the end of summer, according to HUR, as part of a broader effort to develop inexpensive jet-powered air-attack systems with ground-based launch capabilities.
The Filin is 3.5 meters long with a wingspan of 3 meters. It can carry warheads of either 50 or 100 kilograms and is capable of flying at ultra-low altitudes or up to 6 kilometers. Its top speed reaches 800 kilometers per hour, with a reported range of 1,200 kilometers. Some parts of the missile appear to be 3-D printed. The electronic components are similar to those used in other Russian missiles but feature a higher proportion of Chinese-made parts, along with 35 components of U.S. origin.
The onboard equipment is produced by PLAZ LLC, a company also involved in manufacturing the Harpiya drone. The engine is the Russian-made R500, produced by Reynolds LLC.
The disclosure comes as Russia continues to rely on cruise and ballistic missiles to strike Ukrainian targets, particularly energy and civilian infrastructure. Overnight into October 22, Russian forces carried out a mass combined attack on Kyiv using Iskander-M, S-400, Zircon and Onyx missiles, as well as more than 200 drones. The strikes killed at least one person and injured dozens, damaging transport and medical facilities across several districts of the capital.
Zelenskyy says he is ready to freeze the war on current frontlines
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he would agree to a peace deal that freezes the war along the current front lines, describing it as a realistic way to end the fighting.
“Yes, right now we have to freeze [the war], and I think this is a real way to end this war. We call it a ceasefire or ‘stop killing,’ as President Trump called it. Freeze and stop. And of course, this is the minimum we need from Russia today,” Zelensky told Fox News.
He stressed that any freeze must be followed by negotiations and strong security guarantees to prevent a return of occupation, aggression and killings. “That’s why – freeze and talks. And security guarantees from the United States. And prosperity from our partners for renovation of our lives,” he said.
Zelensky added that Ukraine needs to create conditions for the return of the 9.5 million people who have lost their homes or are living abroad so they can rebuild the country.