A five-year-old girl and her dad were among at least seven people killed as waves of Russian drones blasted Ukrainian capital Kyiv yesterday – on the eve of crucial peace talks.

The girl and her father, named as Nikol and Oleksandr were killed in an overnight drone strike that left the girl’s mother Sasha in hospital.

Friends of the couple have revealed that Sasha, who is the only one left alive from the family, has now been “left with nothing”.

The fresh devastation comes as officials prepare for peace talks and the Kremlin warns of “difficult negotiations” and a long journey to peace.

Delegations from both sides will meet US go-betweens separately in Saudi Arabia today amid gloom over Vladimir Putin’s reluctance to end three years of carnage.

Putin has stepped up attacks on his hated enemy since last week agreeing to a partial ceasefire claimed to have been breached by both sides.

His envoys will demand Ukraine is left virtually defenceless with no Western arms and the freezing of frontlines securing his seizure of a fifth of the invaded nation.

Civilians continued to bear the brunt of Russian attacks yesterday as 147 drones pounded Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa and Donetsk regions.

At least seven people were killed – including the girl and her father – and at least 10 other people were injured as drones and falling missile debris triggered fires.

A woman died when the top floor of a nine-storey block was left in flames in the capital’s Dnipro district while more casualties were reported on the blazing 20th floor of a block in Podil.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration, said “The Russians are once again demonstrating their ‘desire for peace.’

“In reality, terrorists are simply launching deadly weapons at residential buildings.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday: “These attacks are a daily reality.

“This week alone, over 1,580 guided aerial bombs, nearly 1,100 strike drones, and 15 missiles of various types were used against our people.”

Pessimism grew yesterday ahead of ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia as a top Donald Trump envoy mocked UK PM Sir Keir Starmer – and praised Putin.

Steve Witkoff branded Starmer’s plan for an international force in Ukraine “a posture and a pose”.

He said the idea was based on a “simplistic” notion of the UK prime minister and other European leaders thinking “we have all got to be like Winston Churchill”.

Witkoff went on to say he “liked” the Russian president adding: “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy – he’s super smart.”

Stuttering ceasefire peace moves will be brokered by Trump envoys Andrew Peek of the US National Security Council and Michael Anton of the State Department.

They were due to meet with Ukrainian representatives last night, followed by the Russians today, but the warring nations’ negotiators will not be in the same room.

Ukrainian delegates are expected to supply a list of energy infrastructure declared off-limits from strikes by the Russian military under a partial pact agreed by Putin last week.

Russia wants more protection for its Black Sea fleet following a string of successful attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles.

Ukraine’s war hero leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed that scheming Putin is weaponising ceasefire delays to buy time to grab more ground.

And US President Trump has failed to pressure Putin to agree to the full 30-day ceasefire that Zelensky has already agreed to.

But Trump has said he is pushing for a ceasefire by Easter despite any peace looking increasingly unlikely.