Massive air attack by Russia strikes the central government compound in Ukraine, leading to the unfortunate loss of a mother and her infant.
In a shocking turn of events, Ukraine's cabinet of ministers in Kyiv was set ablaze, marking the first such strike of the war. Photos posted by Ukraine's rescue service showed the building engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing from its facade. Emergency services were quickly dispatched to the scene to extinguish the fire.
The incident came amidst Russia's largest-ever aerial barrage on Ukraine. According to reports, Russia fired at least 805 drones and 13 missiles at Ukraine between late Saturday and early Sunday. The attack resulted in more than a dozen injuries and at least two fatalities, including a mother and her two-month-old son, who were tragically killed in a strike on a nine-story residential building in the west of Kyiv.
Russian forces occupy around 20 per cent of Ukrainian territory in total, and the ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands, displaced millions, and destroyed much of eastern and southern Ukraine. Despite efforts by international leaders, including US President Donald Trump, to end the war, there has been little progress.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed the damage to the roof and upper floors of the cabinet of ministers due to the enemy attack. The barrage of drones and missiles continued even after more than two dozen European countries pledged to patrol any agreement to end the war, with some countries pledging troops on the ground.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that any Western forces in Ukraine are unacceptable and would be "legitimate" targets. In response, twenty-six countries have declared their willingness to deploy troops as part of a peacekeeping force to secure a ceasefire or peace agreement in Ukraine. Kyiv says that security guarantees, backed by Western troops, are crucial to any peace deal to ensure Russia does not invade again in the future.
As the situation continues to unfold, police have cordoned off the area surrounding the building, and the international community watches with bated breath, hoping for a resolution to this long-lasting conflict.
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