Ukraine may revise its ceasefire offer to Russia if the UN Security Council fails to pass a resolution urging a full and unconditional end to hostilities, Kyiv's UN envoy Andrii Melnyk warned on Monday. Speaking at a Security Council session, Melnyk stated that Ukraine stands ready for direct negotiations but stressed that 'our patience is not endless.' He noted that Ukraine has changed the dynamic in the war with recent strikes, damaging some 40% of Russia's oil refineries. 'If the Security Council would further choose a wait-and-see approach, I cannot exclude that Ukraine may recalibrate and modify its offer. A ceasefire along the de facto front line is already a great compromise,' Melnyk said.
Ukraine's Military Gains and Russian Response
Ukraine's intensified strikes have disrupted Russian supply lines and fuel supplies. The success of the 'middle strike' campaign has prompted Russian-held Crimea to halt civilian gasoline sales. All summer camps in illegally annexed Crimea stopped accepting children until September 1 for security reasons, said Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed governor. Aviation authorities temporarily closed Moscow's four airports on Monday as air defences battled a wave of Ukrainian drones.
Recent Attacks and Civilian Casualties
Ukraine's military said it hit a plant producing electronics for missiles in Russia's Voronezh region on Monday, killing five and injuring dozens. The Ukrainian general staff described the facility as a 'critical component' in Russia's defence production, making parts for missiles including the Iskander. Russia's Dubna satellite communications centre in the Moscow region was also hit. Russia's Tass news agency reported 'a massive drone attack.' A top Ukrainian drone maker, General Cherry, disclosed that one of its factories had been hit.
In Ukraine, Russian strikes continued to cause civilian casualties. In the early hours of Tuesday, Kyiv was put on air raid alert. Two people sought medical help after Russian forces struck the Zaporizhzhia region, said Governor Ivan Fedorov. Three more were wounded in Sumy late Monday. A drone attack on Kharkiv left one woman wounded, said Mayor Ihor Terekhov. A Russian drone strike on Sumy killed three members of one family, including a 13-year-old boy. 'Their home was destroyed – an ordinary home, not a military target whatsoever,' said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The attack also wounded two others, said regional military head Oleh Hryhorov. A Russian nighttime drone strike killed a woman and wounded three, including an 11-year-old boy, in Zaporizhzhia, Fedorov said.
Black Sea Attack and Broader Impact
A Russian drone attack hit a ship in the Black Sea, starting a fire and killing its Egyptian cook, said Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba. Eight other sailors, including citizens of Turkey and India, abandoned ship on a life raft while the vessel 'sustained significant damage and lost seaworthiness.' The UN reports more than 16,000 civilian deaths in the war, with May seeing the highest monthly total since April 2022: at least 274 civilians killed and 1,763 injured.
