Pretoria, South Africa — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has abruptly ended his first official visit to South Africa following a deadly missile and drone assault on Kyiv that left at least nine people dead and more than 70 injured, including six children.
The attack, which Ukrainian officials describe as the most devastating strike on the capital since July 2024, involved a coordinated barrage of at least 70 missiles and 145 drones. A Ukrainian military source confirmed that a North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missile was among the weapons used, further escalating international concerns over growing military alliances.
Zelenskyy, who arrived in Pretoria late Wednesday, was in the midst of diplomatic meetings with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings. The leaders had been discussing ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and explore avenues for advancing global peace efforts, particularly as Ukraine enters the fourth year of its war with Russia.
However, the scale and severity of the overnight attack prompted Zelenskyy to cancel all remaining engagements. He is expected to depart South Africa immediately following the meeting to return to Ukraine and lead the national response to the crisis.
“This brutal assault on our people cannot go unanswered,” Zelenskyy said in a brief statement. “I must return home to be with our citizens and our defenders.”
The sudden end to the visit underscores the ongoing volatility of the conflict in Eastern Europe — and highlights the challenges world leaders face in balancing international diplomacy with urgent domestic crises.
