Brief
Zelenskyy blames Russia for cluster‑warhead strikes after US detainee release
The Ukrainian president said Russia launched three ballistic missiles with air‑burst cluster warheads, killing four and injuring dozens.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of using cluster munitions in overnight strikes that hit Kyiv and other locations, killing at least four people and injuring 34, including five children, according to Ukraine’s foreign ministry. The accusations came hours after the United States announced the release of American detainee Stephen Hubbard and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin.
What happened
Zelenskyy wrote on X that three ballistic missiles equipped with cluster warheads were launched against Kyiv, detonating in the air and covering a 400‑meter diameter. The attacks damaged a shopping mall, monastery buildings, homes, shops and cafés in the historic Pechersk district. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses downed 808 Ukrainian drones overnight and reported two injuries on the Russian side.
What the reports add
The CBS report notes that more than 100 countries have signed the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans the weapons, while Russia and the United States have not. It also mentions that Moscow claimed to have shot down 808 Ukrainian drones and that Moscow’s mayor reported over 600 drones fired toward the city of Moscow between late Wednesday and early Thursday.
What was said
"Last night, the Russians used, among other weapons against Kyiv, three ballistic missiles with cluster warheads," Zelenskyy wrote on X, as reported by CBS News. He added that the strikes showed “no real change in its attitude toward everything that is happening.” The report also quotes Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said Moscow would study proposals brought by Witkoff but warned talks would take a long time.
How it came about
The strikes followed the release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74‑year‑old American prisoner, on 21 October 2026, an event covered in Felo’s recent article on Trump’s claim that Putin freed the detainee without concessions. Zelenskyy had earlier urged U.S. support for sanctions against Russia after President Trump paused a sanctions package, as detailed in Felo’s 17 October 2026 coverage.
Key facts
- Zelenskyy said Russia used three ballistic missiles with cluster warheads in overnight strikes on Kyiv (cbsnews.com)
- The strikes killed at least four people and injured 34, including five children (cbsnews.com)
- The attacks occurred hours after the US released American detainee Stephen Hubbard (cbsnews.com)
Sources
- [1] cbsnews.com — originally reported as “Zelenskyy accuses Russia of using cluster warheads in deadly strikes hours after U.S. prisoner release”
