Hostile actions by Russia spread throughout Ukraine, as prospects for peace appear to falter
In the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, tensions have escalated once again as both sides continue their aggressive actions.
The Kremlin has made it clear that it intends to achieve its goals through political and diplomatic means, but will continue attacks until then. This statement was issued following a series of overnight attacks, which Russia claims were targeted at military installations.
The attacks have resulted in significant casualties and damage. In Kyiv, at least 25 people, including four children, lost their lives, and around 50 others were wounded. In the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, at least one person was killed and at least 25 were wounded. Three children aged between nine and 16 were admitted to the hospital in Zaporizhzhia. Residential buildings in the city were hit, leaving scores of homes without gas or electricity.
The international community has responded swiftly to these attacks. France and Germany have agreed to send additional air-defense hardware to Ukraine. The US State Department has approved the sale of Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine for an estimated cost of $179.1 million and satellite communications services worth $150 million.
This decision has sparked a "coalition of the willing," with about 26 countries, primarily European, committing to increasing their support for Ukraine's air defense. Comprehensive security guarantees were discussed at a summit in Paris involving Ukraine, the EU, Germany, the UK, and NATO.
However, efforts to end the war appear to have lost steam, and Moscow has played down the likelihood of a Putin-Zelensky summit. The European Union, Britain, and Sweden have summoned the Russian ambassadors in their capitals to protest the attack on Kyiv.
Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has accused the Kremlin of using the time meant for preparing a leaders'-level (peace) meeting to organize new massive attacks. He has called for more international sanctions on Moscow and its backers, and for more action from the international community.
Meanwhile, Russia has reportedly scaled back its previous demands. It now wants Ukraine to cede all of its eastern Donbas region, but is willing to freeze the conflict in the south of the country along current front lines.
The cities of Dnipro and Pavlograd in the central region of Dnipropetrovsk also came under attack early on Saturday. Ukraine's army general staff claimed its forces had hit two oil refineries in Russia, which they said were supplying fuel to Russian military units.
As the conflict continues, the international community will likely continue to monitor the situation closely and consider further actions to support Ukraine and promote peace.
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