Ritratt:Reports reveal civilian casualties on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine border after overnight drone strikes, with long-range attacks persisting even amid ongoing discussions regarding a partial ceasefire.
A drone strike in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, resulted in the tragic deaths of three people, among them a five-year-old girl and her father. According to the local military administration, an additional ten individuals sustained injuries.
The Ukrainian air force reported that 147 drones were launched into the country, with 97 being intercepted and 25 failing during flight. Multiple regions were targeted in the attacks, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa, and Donetsk.
Reports of fires and falling debris have emerged from three districts in Kyiv, leading Mayor Vitali Klitschko to urge residents to seek shelter. Officials described the attacks as a “massive” drone offensive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the ongoing dependence of Russian weaponry on foreign components and called for more stringent measures to prevent these supplies. He urged for enhanced military support from the West, particularly in the area of air defences, while also conveying appreciation to the international allies backing Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defence in Russia reported that 59 Ukrainian drones were intercepted during the night.
The incident occurred in the Rostov region, resulting in one fatality due to a car fire. In Astrakhan, a residential building sustained damage due to debris from a drone.
Even with a brittle ceasefire agreement facilitated by the U.S. last week, drone strikes continued throughout the weekend. The suggested ceasefire, supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, seems to be understood in different ways.
The U.S. announced that the agreement would put an end to attacks on energy and infrastructure targets. The Kremlin stated the importance of safeguarding energy infrastructure, whereas Kyiv pushed for an expanded focus that encompasses ports, railways, and civilian locations.
Upcoming discussions between Ukrainian and American representatives are set to take place in Saudi Arabia, where the details of the ceasefire are anticipated to be defined.
At the same time, the U.S. views the restricted ceasefire as a crucial step towards achieving a thorough peace agreement. European countries are developing a concurrent peace initiative, which allegedly involves sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine—an idea that the Kremlin strongly rejects.
