Russian attacks across Ukraine have killed at least eight people as the United States steps up diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the war. Kyiv was rocked by another night of strikes including hypersonic and ballistic missiles and 282 drones.
Six people were killed and eight wounded in a Russian attack on a farm in northern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. Two more people were killed in Russian attacks on Kyiv, one of them in the car park of a maternity hospital that was damaged.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it targeted Ukrainian defence sites, logistics and telecommunications hubs, and vessels used by the military. The ministry also said its forces struck a Black Sea tanker bringing fuel to Ukraine’s port of Chornomorsk.
Poland’s military deployed planes to secure its airspace in response to the attacks. Two Czech fighters were also deployed. Poland reported a fire at a Starlink ground station was deliberate sabotage.
The attacks came after the US conducted a flurry of diplomacy with both warring nations. The Trump administration invited Putin to attend the G20 summit in Miami, while Zelenskyy called for sustained pressure to end “Putin’s crazy war” in his UN speech.
Key Developments
- At least eight killed across Ukraine in Russian attacks
- 282 drones, hypersonic and ballistic missiles used in strikes
- Maternity hospital damaged in Kyiv attack
- Poland, Czech Republic deploy air defense assets
- US invites Putin to Miami G20; Zelenskyy calls for pressure
- Starlink ground station fire in Poland called “hybrid warfare”
Implications
- Continued civilian casualties despite US diplomatic overtures
- NATO allies increasingly concerned about conflict spillover
- Global economic costs of war becoming a pressing concern
- US diplomacy faces challenge as Russia continues strikes
Featured image: Cathedral of the Dormition at Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Photo Jorge Lascar, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – illustrative.
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