Russia has carried out its most intense drone and missile assault on Ukraine in the past month, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday. The strike comes while international efforts, led by the United States, aim to pave the way for a peace agreement.

According to Zelensky, approximately 36 missiles and nearly 600 drones were fired across Ukrainian territory from Friday night into Saturday. As a result of the attacks, power outages have crippled significant portions of Kyiv.

“This assault primarily targeted energy infrastructure and civilian areas, causing widespread damage and fires in residential zones. Dozens have been injured, and three people have died,” the president reported.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha shared on Telegram that the strikes impacted both homes and critical infrastructure, describing the situation as “a difficult night… especially in Kyiv.”

Local officials and police reported that two people, including a 42-year-old man, were killed in the capital, and at least 15 others, including a child, sustained injuries. The location of the third fatality has yet to be determined.

Kyiv experienced an air raid warning for over ten hours overnight, with the sound of drones and explosions filling the air, according to reports from the city.

Photographs captured by emergency workers showed them trying to access a high-rise building in Kyiv. The building suffered significant damage, with shattered windows and a charred exterior.

In response to the threat near its borders, Poland mobilized fighter jets and activated air defense measures, stating that these steps were taken as a security precaution.

Ukraine’s energy ministry confirmed that the overnight offensive left over 600,000 residents without electricity.

“Due to the bombardment, over 500,000 customers in Kyiv, more than 100,000 in the surrounding region, and nearly 8,000 in Kharkiv region faced power outages,” the ministry noted.

This escalation coincides with a planned visit of a U.S. delegation to Moscow next week to engage in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as part of broader peace plan efforts.

An early version of the proposal reportedly contained terms aligning with established Russian demands. However, the draft was significantly amended during recent discussions in Geneva between Ukrainian representatives and a U.S. negotiating team.

Putin acknowledged that the initial draft could serve as a foundation for prospective agreements but maintained that a resolution would require Ukrainian withdrawal from specific eastern regions.

“If they refuse to pull out, we will accomplish this through military action,” the Russian president stated.