KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥 Russia launched a barrage of drones across Ukraine overnight Sunday that killed at least seven people, according to local Ukrainian officials and emergency services.

The attacks, including on the capital, Kyiv, came negotiations in Saudi Arabia in which Ukraine and Russia are expected to hold indirect talks on Monday to discuss in long-range attacks targeting energy facilities and civilian infrastructure.

The Ukrainian delegation is expected to meet with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia a day ahead of the indirect talks, Ukraine's President Voldoymyr Zelenskyy said. Ukraine is planning to send technical teams to discuss the details of the partial ceasefire.

Speaking on 鈥淔ox News Sunday,鈥 Trump鈥檚 special envoy Steve Witkoff said he expected 鈥渟ome real progress鈥 at the talks in Saudi Arabia, 鈥減articularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries, and from that you鈥檒l naturally gravitate into a full-on shooting ceasefire.鈥

Asked about concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be looking beyond Ukraine and could press further into Europe, even if Russia is awarded territory within Ukraine now, Witkoff said he has been asked his opinion on what Putin鈥檚 motives are on a large scale.

鈥淚 simply have said that I just don鈥檛 see that he wants to take all of Europe. This is a much different situation than it was in World War II. In World War II there was no NATO. You have countries that are armed there. I take him at his word in this sense. And I think the Europeans are beginning to come to that belief, too. But it sort of doesn鈥檛 matter. That鈥檚 an academic issue. 鈥 The agenda is stop the killing, stop the carnage, let鈥檚 end this thing.鈥

Asked whether he was convinced that Putin wanted peace, Witkoff said: 鈥淚 feel that he wants peace.鈥

Residential buildings hit by debris

Russia launched 147 drones across Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 97, and 25 others didn't reach targets due to Ukrainian countermeasures. The attacks struck the Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa and Donetsk regions, as well as the capital, Kyiv.

Three people, including a 5-year-old child, were killed and 10 others were injured in a drone attack on Kyiv, the city鈥檚 military administration said. Extended sounds of explosions were heard across the Ukrainian capital in the early hours as the air raid blared for over five hours. Russian drones and debris from shot-down drones, which were flying at lower altitudes to evade air defenses, fell on residential buildings.

Residents in Kyiv surveyed the damage done to their homes and neighborhoods on Sunday morning. Many were disparaging of the upcoming ceasefire talks, pointing to the burned out properties destroyed in the drone attack, saying these were more indicative of Russia鈥檚 true intentions.

In an old multistory building on Kyiv鈥檚 left bank that was damaged in the overnight attack, Dmytro Zapadnya, 37, said he had no faith in Russia upholding any ceasefire agreement.

鈥淭here is no point in signing anything (with Russians), because it will not be worth the cost of paper where you put this signature. Well, the only thing that is not very pleasant is that now the United States seems to have little understanding of our situation,鈥 he said.

Elsewhere, four people were killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine鈥檚 Donetsk region, regional Gov. Vadym Filashkin said, including three who died in a strike on the frontline town of Dobropillya.

鈥楴ew solutions are needed鈥

In a statement on social media, Zelenskyy said attacks such as the one in Kyiv were a daily occurrence for Ukraine.

鈥淭his week alone, more than 1,580 guided aerial bombs, almost 1,100 strike drones and 15 missiles of various types were used against our people,鈥 he said. 鈥淣ew solutions are needed, with new pressure on Moscow to stop both these strikes and this war.鈥

Also on Sunday, Russia鈥檚 Ministry of Defense said it had shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 29 over the region of Rostov and 20 more over southwestern Astrakhan. In Rostov, one person was killed and a car caught fire due to the Ukrainian drone attack, according to the area鈥檚 temporary governor, Yuri Slyusar.

A woman also died in the Russian border village of Novostroyevka-Pervaya in the Belgorod region when a Ukrainian drone hit a car in which she was traveling.

The driver, the woman鈥檚 daughter, was also seriously injured in the attack, said local Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.

鈥斺赌

Associated Press journalist Bela Szandelszky contributed to this report.

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