Six people were killed and at least 36 were injured overnight on Wednesday in a massive missile and drone attack across Ukraine, according to authorities. The strikes targeted a kindergarten, power plants, and other locations. In Kyiv, two people were killed and 21 others were injured, while four died in the Brovarsky district of Kyiv Oblast. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, at least 15 civilians were injured, as per Governor Ivan Fedorov. DTEK, the biggest private energy provider in Ukraine, stated that energy infrastructure in Odesa Oblast had sustained “significant damage” and that emergency power outages had occurred in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian bombardment on Wednesday showed that the Kremlin “clearly doesn’t feel enough pressure to stop dragging out the war.” According to a local NGO, three drones struck a kindergarten at approximately 11.00 am (local time). Air raid sirens had signalled the evacuation of all 48 children to an underground shelter. One passerby was killed and nine others were injured, but no children sustained injuries, as cited by the New York Times. The strikes came amid US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was cancelling a scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing it as a “wasted” attempt to end the war.
Russia captures two more Ukrainian villages
The Russian defence ministry said on Wednesday that its forces have taken control of Ivanivka, located just inside the Dnipropetrovsk region, and Pavlivka in Zaporizhzhia, one of the four regions it claims as Russian territory. Russian news outlets reported early on Thursday that paratroopers and other troops had crossed the Dnipro River to take control of Karantynnyi Island, a region close to Kherson, a city occupied by Russian forces in the early phases of their February 2022 invasion, but was later retaken by Ukrainian troops. Ukraine’s 132nd separate battalion of airborne forces announced that it has regained control of the village of Kucheriv Yar of Russian troops near Dobropillia in Donetsk, highlighting ongoing clashes on multiple fronts.
Trump suggests Ukraine might need to cede territory for peace
Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Thursday that in order to stop Russia’s aggression, Ukraine might have to give up some territory. When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin would consent to ending the war “without taking significant property from Ukraine,” Trump said, “Well, he’s going to take something.”“They fought and he has a lot of property. He’s won certain property,” Trump added. “We’re the only nation that goes in, wins a war and then leaves.”In recent weeks, Trump has voiced his support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. However, he remained non-committal on providing Tomahawk missiles that Ukraine requested, saying, “I will think about it.”
