KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for increased international pressure on Moscow during his visit to European allies seeking security guarantees for Kyiv.
Russia launched a massive air attack using more than 500 drones and dozens of missiles that struck energy and transport infrastructure at 14 locations across Ukraine.
At least nine people were killed in the eastern town of Kostiantynivka, which serves as a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian troops defending sections of the front line.
Zelenskiy stated that Russia’s continued aggression results from insufficient pressure on its war economy during his Telegram message before arriving in Denmark for talks with Nordic and Baltic allies.
He emphasised the need for strong pressure measures during discussions with partners in the coming days while calling for enhanced air defence systems from allies.
The Ukrainian president described the regular strikes occurring several times weekly as a clear signal that Russia rejects any attempt to end the war and intends to continue fighting.
Zelenskiy will travel to France next to meet with a “coalition of the willing” that aims to offer security guarantees to deter Russian attacks under any peace agreement.
NATO chief Mark Rutte expressed expectations for clarity during or after the Paris meeting regarding what the coalition can deliver in terms of guarantees for Kyiv.
President Donald Trump indicated the United States could support European peacekeeping plans without deploying American soldiers to Ukraine, while Russia opposes stationing Western peacekeeping troops.
Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains maximalist demands for Ukraine to accept territorial conquests, cede more land, permanently disarm, and renounce future alliances.
Putin stated that Russian forces are advancing on all fronts in Ukraine during a press conference in China after attending a World War Two anniversary ceremony.
The Russian leader claimed there was a chance for peace negotiations “if common sense prevails” but threatened to resolve matters “by force of arms” otherwise.
Putin mentioned he had “never ruled out the possibility” of meeting Zelenskiy but insisted any such meeting should occur in Moscow, which Ukraine’s foreign minister immediately dismissed as unacceptable.
Air raid alerts sounded for hours across Ukraine with explosions reported in nine of its 24 regions from Kyiv to Lviv and Volyn in the west.
Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down 430 of 502 drones and 21 of 24 missiles launched by Russia overnight, though three missiles and 69 drones struck 14 locations.
Four railway workers in Ukraine’s central Kirovohrad region were hospitalised following the Russian attack, causing delays of up to seven hours for numerous services due to damaged facilities.
The attack cut power to 30,000 consumers in northern Chernihiv while damaging critical civilian infrastructure according to Governor Viacheslav Chaus.
Firefighters in the Ivano-Frankivsk region battled flames engulfing 9,000 square meters of storage facilities as emergency services responded to multiple incidents.
Regional prosecutors confirmed three women and five men were killed during more than an hour of shelling in Kostiantynivka, with at least six people injured in the attack.
Russia stated it had struck Ukrainian fuel targets while justifying attacks on civil infrastructure as necessary to hinder Ukraine’s war effort, though denying intentional harm to civilians. – Reuters
