Deadly airstrikes leave numerous casualties; Kiev advocates fresh sanctions in response
In a series of escalating events, Ukraine has been subjected to a barrage of drone and missile attacks from Russia. The attacks, which began on Wednesday evening, have resulted in numerous casualties and significant infrastructure damage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly condemned the air strikes, labelling them as "horrible and deliberate killing of civilians." According to reports, at least 18 people, including 4 children, were killed in Kyiv alone, and around 50 people were injured. Explosions were reported in the cities of Sumy in the north and Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia in the south of Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that the attacks targeted military industrial facilities and Ukrainian air force support points. However, the EU representation and the British cultural institute in Kyiv were also damaged in the air strikes. More than a dozen passenger trains had hours-long delays due to damage to the railway junction of Kosjatyn in the Vinnytsia region.
Russia used 2 hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles, 9 ballistic Iskander missiles, and 20 cruise missiles of the X-101 type in these attacks. The ongoing hostilities have seen Krasnodar's oil refineries targeted multiple times by Ukrainian drone strikes, causing fires and disruptions. In response, Ukraine has continued its defensive struggle by striking Russia's oil and gas industry, with two more oil refineries hit in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar and the Volga region of Samara. The extent of the damage is unknown.
Zelenskyy has called for new sanctions against Russia, stating that they have let all deadlines pass and ruined dozens of diplomatic initiatives. He has also criticized the Russian drone and missile strikes as a response to long-standing calls for a ceasefire and genuine diplomacy.
In a bid to protect Ukraine from renewed Russian aggression after the war ends, security guarantees are being discussed. Zelensky stated that all those working on security guarantees - military, political, and economic components - will be involved in the talks. His chief negotiators are due to meet with representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump's government in New York on Friday for talks on security guarantees for Ukraine.
China, which has repeatedly called for the war not to be escalated and for hostilities to cease, has been urged by Zelensky to react to Russia's attacks. The U.S. plans to participate, but the military burden will mainly fall on the Europeans.
As the conflict continues, both sides remain resolute in their positions. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and calling for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis.
