Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine, launching 270 drones and 10 missiles against the country in a kinetic response to diplomatic talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. The attacks have claimed the lives of at least 15 people and injured over 76 more.
Regional officials reported that shelling across four regions, including Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson, had left residents without electricity. In Chernihiv, drones damaged infrastructure and disrupted power supplies. The Poltava region was particularly affected, leaving over 1,500 residents without electricity.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha condemned Russia’s attacks, calling them “the opposite of peace.” Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has repeatedly expressed willingness to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Putin has not reciprocated. US President Donald Trump said he was confident that a meeting between the two leaders would happen in the coming weeks.
However, European leaders have expressed skepticism about the possibility of a summit without US pressure. The Washington talks aimed to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and a $90 billion program to purchase US weapons. Meanwhile, fighting along the front line has remained intense, with 186 combat engagements recorded in the past 24 hours.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine warned that the intensification of Russian assaults is devastating civilian life, especially in frontline communities. The mission reported 286 civilians killed and 1,388 injured in July alone.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-airstrike-casulaties-kharkiv-donetsk-zaporizhzhya-kherson-poltava-chernihiv/33507183.html