At least two people were killed and 10 others injured after Russia launched a massive overnight barrage of missiles and drones against Kyiv and surrounding areas on Tuesday, setting buildings ablaze and sending thick clouds of smoke over the Ukrainian capital.

The attack marked a dramatic end to a brief lull in aerial strikes on Kyiv that had coincided with a diplomatic push by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The two American officials had been in the region for talks aimed at reviving efforts to end the war.

Explosions began shortly after 3:30 a.m. local time, with further blasts reported minutes later. Ukrainian authorities warned residents that ballistic missiles and jet-powered attack drones were approaching the capital as air defenses attempted to intercept the incoming barrage.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russia launched 32 cruise missiles and 166 Shahed-type drones, more than half of which were jet-powered, along with an unspecified number of ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces said they intercepted 31 cruise missiles, 142 drones and two ballistic missiles, although strikes and falling debris were recorded at 29 locations.

The attack caused widespread damage across several districts of Kyiv, including Holosiivskyi, Solomianskyi, Darnytskyi, Podilskyi and Dniprovskyi.

At least two high-rise residential buildings were damaged, while fires broke out at warehouses, garages and other non-residential sites. A school and other civilian facilities were also damaged, according to Ukrainian officials.

Emergency crews evacuated residents from damaged apartment blocks, including two people rescued from a 16-story building. Another 10 people were rescued after becoming trapped inside a five-story building.

Reuters reported that damage affected 14 high-rise buildings, a dormitory, a school, a clinic and warehouses across the capital.

The human cost was compounded by scenes of shattered windows, burning structures and smoke hanging over parts of the city as firefighters worked to contain multiple blazes.

For residents who had experienced repeated Russian air raids, the renewed attack brought back the constant fear that has become part of daily life in Kyiv.

"It's like The Hunger Games, it's just about survival," Daria Kolisnyk, whose apartment building was damaged, told the Kyiv Independent.

The assault was not confined to the capital.

Ukrainian authorities reported strikes and damage in several parts of Kyiv Oblast, including Brovary, Boryspil, Fastiv and Obukhiv. Residential buildings, private homes, warehouses, businesses and vehicles were damaged.

One person was reportedly injured in the town of Bila Tserkva, where apartment buildings, a house, a warehouse and a production facility were also hit.

Air-raid warnings were issued across several other Ukrainian regions during the night as Russian aircraft and missile systems launched additional attacks.

The broader assault also reportedly affected Odesa and other areas of Ukraine. In Odesa Oblast, a market was damaged, while strikes were reported in Kharkiv and along railway infrastructure.

The attack came just days after Moscow announced a temporary pause in long-range strikes against Kyiv and Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered a 72-hour pause beginning at midnight on September 6, coinciding with the visit of U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner. The pause was intended to facilitate their diplomatic travel and discussions as Washington sought to revive negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

The respite was short-lived.

While Kyiv avoided a major aerial assault during the U.S. delegation's visit, Russian drones began targeting the capital again after the envoys departed on September 7, followed by the much larger missile and drone barrage early Tuesday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the renewed strikes, arguing that the timing demonstrated the urgency of strengthening Ukraine's air defenses and providing additional missile interceptors.

The renewed bombardment has cast fresh doubt over diplomatic efforts to achieve a broader ceasefire.

The U.S. delegation's meetings in Moscow and Kyiv produced discussions on possible next steps, but no breakthrough was announced. President Volodymyr Zelensky has meanwhile said Washington is exploring measures to reduce tensions during the coming winter, with air defense and energy security among Ukraine's key concerns.

The latest escalation also comes after a period of increasingly frequent Russian attacks on Kyiv. Reuters reported before the latest barrage that near-constant drone attacks had begun severely disrupting everyday life in the capital, with residents facing repeated air-raid alarms, underground evacuations and disruptions to normal activities.

President Zelensky accused Russia of seeking to inflict maximum damage, saying the assault involved ballistic and cruise missiles as well as various types of attack drones.

Moscow has previously said its strikes are directed at military and strategic targets, while Ukrainian officials have repeatedly reported damage to civilian infrastructure and residential areas.

As emergency crews continued clearing debris and extinguishing fires Tuesday morning, the renewed violence underscored the enormous gap between diplomatic efforts and the reality on the ground.

For Kyiv's residents, the brief silence provided during the U.S. envoys' visit has once again been replaced by air-raid sirens, explosions and the smoke of burning buildings. (ILKHA)