The attack came as weeks of peace negotiations appeared to be culminating without an agreement in sight and hours after U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy, accusing him of prolonging the “killing field” by refusing to surrender the Russia-occupied Crimea Peninsula as part of a possible deal.

Zelenskyy was speaking on a visit to South Africa, which he said he will cut short to return home because of an attack, which killed at least nine people and injured more than 70, the deadliest assault on the city since last July.