Zelenskyy cuts short South African trip after massive Russian strike on Kyiv kills 9
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is cutting short his official trip to South Africa after a major Russian strike on Kyiv with missiles and drones killed at least nine people and injured more than 70
- Kyiv residents
spent the night in shelters

- Police officers guide an injured woman out of her house, which was damaged by a Russian airstrike, in a residential neighbourhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, APpril 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
- KYIV (AP/PTI) — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday he is cutting
short his official trip to South Africa and returning home after a major
Russian strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with missiles and drones killed at
least nine people and injured more than 70.
-
- Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy arrived in South Africa for
a state visit following US President Donald Trump's new accusations that he is
prolonging the war against Russia by pushing back against any plan to give up
Ukrainian territory in a peace deal.
-
- Zelenskyy landed in South Africa overnight and was
travelling around the time Trump said the Ukrainian leader was prolonging the
“killing field” by refusing to cede illegally occupied Crimea to Russia as part
of a potential peace plan.
-
- While Zelenskyy was travelling, a large-scale Russian
missile and drone attack hit Kyiv, killing nine people and injuring over 70,
including six children, Ukrainian authorities said.
-
- Zelenskyy will meet South African President Cyril
Ramaphosa at the government Union Buildings in Pretoria later Thursday and
their discussions will include “areas of cooperation with the objective to
support efforts to bring lasting peace,” according to Ramaphosa's office.