Latest news with #Interior
Nahar Net
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Zelensky calls for more pressure on Russia after deadly missile strike in Kyiv
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 June 2025, 13:59 A Russian missile strike on a nine-story Kyiv apartment building was a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday, as Moscow intensifies attacks in the war. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital this year, killed 28 people across the city and wounded 142 others, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said. Zelensky, along with the head of the presidential office, Andrii Yermak, and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile brought down the structure. "This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing," Zelensky wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said are ready to pressure Russia to "feel the real cost of the war." Intensifying attacks Tuesday's attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelensky called one of the biggest bombardments of the war, which began on Feb. 24, 2022. As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, U.S.-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilization effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and U.S. trade tariffs have drawn away world attention from Ukraine's pleas for more diplomatic and economic pressure to be placed on Moscow. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were "against military industries, not residential quarters." Putin told senior news leaders of international news agencies in St. Petersburg, Russia, that he was open to talks with Zelensky, but repeated his accusation that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year — allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement," Putin said, noting that a previous round of talks in Istanbul had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. Prisoners exchanged A new round of such exchanges took place in Ukraine's Chernihiv region on Thursday, involving the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war who, according to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War or KSHPPV, were suffering from severe health issues caused by injuries and prolonged detention. The exchange was confirmed by Russia's Defense Ministry, which released a video of Russian servicemen at an exchange area in Belarus after being released in the prisoner swap. Commenting on the exchange, Zelensky wrote on Telegram: "We are working to get our people back. Thank you to everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free each and every one." Many of the exchanged Ukrainian POWs had spent over three years in captivity, with a large number captured during the defense of the now Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in 2022, according to the KSHPPV, which added that preparations for another prisoner exchange are ongoing. In St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Putin praised Trump's push for peace in Ukraine. But Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his country that had "unconditionally accepted" the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, and said that Russian claims of willingness to end the war were "manipulations." "It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the U.S. peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process ... 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it," Sybiha wrote. "Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing," he added. Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine, according to the country's air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted, jammed, or lost from radars mid-flight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack.
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Zelenskyy calls for more pressure on Russia after deadly missile strike in Ukrainian capital Kyiv
A Russian missile strike on a nine-story Kyiv apartment building was a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday (June 19, 2025), as Moscow intensifies attacks in the war. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital this year, killed 28 people across the city and wounded 142 others, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said. Mr. Zelenskyy, along with the head of the presidential office, Andrii Yermak, and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile brought down the structure. 'This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing,' Mr. Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said are ready to pressure Russia to 'feel the real cost of the war.' Intensifying attacks Tuesday's attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Mr. Zelenskyy called one of the biggest bombardments of the war, which began on Feb. 24, 2022. As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) front line, U.S.-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and U.S. trade tariffs have drawn away world attention from Ukraine's pleas for more diplomatic and economic pressure to be placed on Moscow. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Mr. Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were 'against military industries, not residential quarters.' Mr. Putin told senior news leaders of international news agencies in St. Petersburg, Russia, that he was open to talks with Mr. Zelenskyy, but repeated his accusation that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year — allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies. 'We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement,' Mr. Putin said, noting that a previous round of talks in Istanbul had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. Prisoners exchanged A new round of such exchanges took place in Ukraine's Chernihiv region on Thursday, involving the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war who, according to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War or KSHPPV, were suffering from severe health issues caused by injuries and prolonged detention. The exchange was confirmed by Russia's Defence Ministry, which released a video of Russian servicemen at an exchange area in Belarus after being released in the prisoner swap. Commenting on the exchange, Mr. Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram: 'We are working to get our people back. Thank you to everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free each and every one.' Many of the exchanged Ukrainian POWs had spent over three years in captivity, with a large number captured during the defence of the now Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in 2022, according to the KSHPPV, which added that preparations for another prisoner exchange are ongoing. In St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Mr. Putin praised Mr. Trump's push for peace in Ukraine. But Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his country that had 'unconditionally accepted' the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, and said that Russian claims of willingness to end the war were 'manipulations.' 'It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the U.S. peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process ... 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it,' Mr. Sybiha wrote. 'Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing,' he added. Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine, according to the country's air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted, jammed, or lost from radars mid-flight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack.
Morocco World
a day ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Stray Animals Amid Pledge for Welfare Reforms
Rabat – A young man ran onto the field during the Club World Cup match between Wydad Casablanca and Manchester City on Wednesday, holding a sign that read, 'Morocco: Stop shooting dogs and cats.' A viral video documented the pitch invasion, which aimed to draw attention to the situation of stray animals in Morocco. It particularly criticized the methods reportedly used by some locals to control the stray animal population, including poisoning. The video sparked mixed reactions across social media, dividing public opinion in Morocco and beyond. While many sympathized with the activist's message and called for more humane treatment of stray animals in the North African country, others criticized the stunt as a staged provocation. Some commentators argued that such actions reflect broader narratives promoted by certain Western media outlets and NGOs, which tend to overlook or downplay Morocco's efforts. Many magnify problems in countries like Morocco while downplaying or ignoring similar or worse practices at home, critics argue. For instance, when Morocco was named co-host of the 2030 World Cup, many Western commentators didn't celebrate this achievement and instead began listing all the challenges the country might face, framing Morocco as unfit or incapable. In recent years, Morocco has taken steps to address the issue more sustainably. By the end of November 2024, Morocco had deployed nearly MAD 80 million ($8 million) to support a national program to address the proliferation of stray dogs in the country. In May this year, Minister of the Interior Abdelouafi Laftit announced a new program with a budget exceeding MAD 1 billion ($100 million) to address the situation. In addition, Morocco is implementing the TNR Program (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return), whereby dogs are captured, treated, vaccinated against diseases like rabies, tagged, and released. This approach both controls the population and ensures public health safety. The government has also signed agreements with the Ministry of Health, the Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), and the National Order of Veterinarians to sterilize and vaccinate stray animals and build shelters and dispensary centers in various provinces. In addition, officials, including Mohamed Roudani from the Interior Ministry, have denied claims that Morocco planned to cull millions of dogs. He explained that Moroccan municipalities are following international animal welfare standards and working toward ethical solutions. Tags: Stray Animalsstray dogs
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zelenskyy calls for more pressure on Russia after deadly Kyiv missile strike
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said a Russian missile strike on a nine-story Kyiv apartment building was a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, as Moscow intensifies attacks in the three-year war. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early on Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital this year, killed 28 people across the city and injured 142 more, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said on Thursday. Zelenskyy, along with the head of the presidential office Andrii Yermak and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile collapsed the structure. 'This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing,' Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said are ready to pressure Russia to 'feel the real cost of the war.' Intensifying attacks Tuesday's attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelenskyy called one of the biggest bombardments of the war, now in its fourth year. As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, U.S.-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from U.S. President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilization effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and U.S. trade tariffs have drawn world attention away from Ukraine's pleas for more diplomatic and economic pressure to be placed on Moscow. Russia in recent weeks has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were 'against military industries, not residential quarters.' Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies in St. Petersburg, Putin said he was open to talks with Zelenskyy, but repeated his claim that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired last year — allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies. 'We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement,' Putin said, noting that a previous round of talks in Istanbul had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. Prisoners exchanged A new round of such exchanges took place in Ukraine's Chernihiv region on Thursday, involving the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war who, according to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (KSHPPV), were suffering from severe health issues caused by injuries and prolonged detention. The exchange was confirmed by Russia's Defense Ministry, which released a video of Russian servicemen at an exchange area in Belarus after being released in the prisoner swap. Commenting on the exchange, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram: 'We are working to get our people back. Thank you to everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free each and every one.' Many of the exchanged Ukrainian POWs had spent over three years in captivity, with a large number captured during the defense of the now Russian-occupied city of Mariupol in 2022, according to the KSHPPV, which added that preparations for another prisoner exchange are ongoing. In St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Putin praised Trump's push for peace in Ukraine. But Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his country that had 'unconditionally accepted' the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, and said that Russian claims of willingness to end the war were 'manipulations.' 'It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the U.S. peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process ... 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it,' Sybiha wrote. 'Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing,' he added. Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine, according to the country's air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted, jammed, or lost from radars mid-flight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Zelenskiy urges pressure on Russia after Kyiv strike
A Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building is a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says, as Moscow intensifies attacks in the three-year war. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early on Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital in 2025, killed 28 people across the city and injured 142 more, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said on Thursday. Zelenskiy, along with the head of the presidential office Andrii Yermak and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile collapsed the structure. "This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing," Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said were ready to pressure Russia to "feel the real cost of the war". Tuesday's attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelenskiy called one of the biggest bombardments of the war, now in its fourth year. As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line, US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from US President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and US trade tariffs have drawn world attention away from Ukraine's pleas for more diplomatic and economic pressure to be placed on Moscow. Russia in recent weeks has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were "against military industries, not residential quarters". Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies in St Petersburg, Putin said he was open to talks with Zelenskiy, but repeated his claim that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired in 2024 - allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement," Putin said, noting that a previous round of talks in Istanbul had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. Putin on Wednesday praised Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his country that had "unconditionally accepted" the US proposal for a ceasefire, and said Russian claims of willingness to end the war were "manipulations". "It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the US peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process ... 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it," Sybiha wrote. "Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing." Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine, according to the country's air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted, jammed, or lost from radars mid-flight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack. A Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building is a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says, as Moscow intensifies attacks in the three-year war. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early on Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital in 2025, killed 28 people across the city and injured 142 more, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said on Thursday. Zelenskiy, along with the head of the presidential office Andrii Yermak and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile collapsed the structure. "This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing," Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said were ready to pressure Russia to "feel the real cost of the war". Tuesday's attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelenskiy called one of the biggest bombardments of the war, now in its fourth year. As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line, US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from US President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and US trade tariffs have drawn world attention away from Ukraine's pleas for more diplomatic and economic pressure to be placed on Moscow. Russia in recent weeks has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were "against military industries, not residential quarters". Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies in St Petersburg, Putin said he was open to talks with Zelenskiy, but repeated his claim that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired in 2024 - allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement," Putin said, noting that a previous round of talks in Istanbul had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. Putin on Wednesday praised Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his country that had "unconditionally accepted" the US proposal for a ceasefire, and said Russian claims of willingness to end the war were "manipulations". "It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the US peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process ... 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it," Sybiha wrote. "Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing." Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine, according to the country's air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted, jammed, or lost from radars mid-flight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack. A Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building is a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says, as Moscow intensifies attacks in the three-year war. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early on Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital in 2025, killed 28 people across the city and injured 142 more, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said on Thursday. Zelenskiy, along with the head of the presidential office Andrii Yermak and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile collapsed the structure. "This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing," Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said were ready to pressure Russia to "feel the real cost of the war". Tuesday's attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelenskiy called one of the biggest bombardments of the war, now in its fourth year. As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line, US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from US President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and US trade tariffs have drawn world attention away from Ukraine's pleas for more diplomatic and economic pressure to be placed on Moscow. Russia in recent weeks has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were "against military industries, not residential quarters". Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies in St Petersburg, Putin said he was open to talks with Zelenskiy, but repeated his claim that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired in 2024 - allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement," Putin said, noting that a previous round of talks in Istanbul had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. Putin on Wednesday praised Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his country that had "unconditionally accepted" the US proposal for a ceasefire, and said Russian claims of willingness to end the war were "manipulations". "It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the US peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process ... 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it," Sybiha wrote. "Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing." Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine, according to the country's air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted, jammed, or lost from radars mid-flight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack. A Russian missile strike on a Kyiv apartment building is a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says, as Moscow intensifies attacks in the three-year war. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early on Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital in 2025, killed 28 people across the city and injured 142 more, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said on Thursday. Zelenskiy, along with the head of the presidential office Andrii Yermak and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the site of the apartment building in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 people who died there after a direct hit by a missile collapsed the structure. "This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing," Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said were ready to pressure Russia to "feel the real cost of the war". Tuesday's attack on Kyiv was part of a sweeping barrage as Russia once again sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelenskiy called one of the biggest bombardments of the war, now in its fourth year. As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line, US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from US President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and US trade tariffs have drawn world attention away from Ukraine's pleas for more diplomatic and economic pressure to be placed on Moscow. Russia in recent weeks has intensified long-range attacks that have struck urban residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Putin denied that his military had struck such targets, saying that attacks were "against military industries, not residential quarters". Speaking to senior news leaders of international news agencies in St Petersburg, Putin said he was open to talks with Zelenskiy, but repeated his claim that the Ukrainian leader had lost his legitimacy after his term expired in 2024 - allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement," Putin said, noting that a previous round of talks in Istanbul had led to an exchange of prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. Putin on Wednesday praised Trump's push for peace in Ukraine, but Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his country that had "unconditionally accepted" the US proposal for a ceasefire, and said Russian claims of willingness to end the war were "manipulations". "It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the US peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process ... 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it," Sybiha wrote. "Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing." Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones across Ukraine, according to the country's air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted, jammed, or lost from radars mid-flight. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack.
