In rare public disclosure, Zelenskyy says he met CIA director in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday he had met the US CIA director William Burns in Ukraine, a rare public disclosure of a meeting between the pair amid Russia's invasion.

Zelenskyy said he had met CIA director Burns on multiple occasions throughout the war, but their meetings had been undisclosed.

"Bill Burns paid his last visit to Ukraine as CIA Director," Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. "He and I have had many meetings during this war, and I am grateful for his help," he added.

"Usually, such meetings are not publicly reported, and all our meetings — in Ukraine, in other European countries, in America, and in other parts of the world — were held without official information," Zelenskyy said.

Burns is set to leave the powerful post of CIA chief as US President-elect Donald Trump brings in his own candidate.

The last confirmed meeting between Zelenskyy and Burns was in mid-2023, according to US officials who announced in July 2023 that Burns had paid a recent secret trip to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy on Saturday posted a photo of him shaking hands with Burns in front of a state crest of Ukraine. He did not say when the meeting took place, but said it would be the pair's final before Burns leaves the post.

The meeting comes at a critical time in the war, one month before Trump comes to power.

Ukrainian missile attack on Rylsk

At least five people were killed and 12 others injured in Ukraine's last night missile attack on Russia's city of Rylsk located in the border region of Kursk, an official said on Saturday. The governor added that nine facilities were hit in a strike, including social infrastructure, and educational institutions.

Initial reports claimed there were six victims, including one child, however, the information proved to be wrong, Rylsk Governor Alexander Khinshtein said in a statement on Telegram.

"Twelve people were injured. ... The death toll has been clarified. Earlier it was reported about six killed people, no, there are five of them. There are no children among them, but this does not lessen the bitterness and pain of the tragedy. I sincerely extend my condolences to all the relatives of the victims, and all the residents of Rylsk," he said.

The regional government will provide maximum assistance to people, he said. The governor added that nine facilities were hit in a strike, including social infrastructure, and educational institutions.

In addition, several low-rise and private buildings were damaged, and 15 cars were burnt down, he said.

Drone attack on Kazan

Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry announced this morning that another Russian city, the administrative centre of the Tatarstan region, Kazan endured a massive Ukraine drone attack carried out in three stages from different directions.

Commenting on the incident, the head of the region, Rustam Minnikhanov, said Kiev "attacked civilians".

"Kazan has been subjected to a massive drone attack today. If earlier industrial enterprises were attacked, now the enemy is attacking civilians, in the morning, right into their homes," Minnikhanov said.

A multistorey residential building was put on fire in the attack, many other buildings suffered different kinds of damages, he added.

The head of Tatarstan urged people not to panic, noting that an emergency task force was organised, which is dealing with the consequences of the incident.

Russian gains in Donetsk

Russia on Saturday announced that its forces had captured the village of Kostiantynopolske in Ukraine's Donetsk region, according to a statement from the defence ministry.

The ministry said the operation was carried out by the Southern group of forces, resulting in the village coming under Russian control.

Kostiantynopolske is located 8 kilometres south of the Kurakhiv Reservoir. On the reservoir's left bank lies the city of Kurakhove, a key Ukrainian stronghold in the region and the site of a thermal power plant.

Ukraine has not yet commented on the claim, and independent verification remains challenging amid the ongoing conflict.