Deadly Air Strike Hits Ukrainian City
A Russian assault on the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia late on Thursday resulted in five fatalities and left three people injured, according to the regional governor. Ivan Fedorov shared harrowing images online depicting buildings consumed by flames and streets littered with debris.
The attack occurred despite Fedorov having issued an earlier warning about an impending strike using Russian guided bombs. The incident underscores the continuous threat faced by Ukrainian civilians as the conflict grinds on.
Zelenskyy to Engage with Trump on Controversial Peace Proposal
In a significant diplomatic development, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated his intention to negotiate with Donald Trump regarding a US-drafted peace plan that reportedly urges Ukraine to accept difficult concessions to end the Russian invasion.
The Ukrainian president’s office confirmed on Thursday that he had received the draft proposal, prepared by US and Russian officials, and would speak to Trump in the coming days about what it termed “existing diplomatic opportunities and the main points that are necessary for peace.”
“Ukraine needs peace and Ukraine will do everything so that no one in the world can say we are upending diplomacy. This is important,” Zelenskyy emphasised in his nightly video address. His measured response followed strong criticism from other Ukrainian officials who labelled the plan “absurd” and unacceptable.
Key Points of the Draft US-Russian Peace Plan
The proposed terms, according to a copy seen by news agencies, include several major concessions:
- Ukraine would cede the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, which constitute the Donbas region, as well as Crimea. These territories would be “recognised as de facto Russian, including by the United States.”
- Ukraine would renounce its ambition to join NATO, now or in the future. The military alliance would agree not to station troops in the country.
- The size of Ukraine’s armed forces would be limited to 600,000 personnel.
- In return, Ukraine would receive “reliable security guarantees” and be eligible for European Union membership.
- Russia would be invited to rejoin the G8 and be “reintegrated into the global economy,” with sanctions being lifted. It would be expected not to invade neighbouring countries.
European Leaders Stress Their Role in Peace Process
Following the emergence of the US-Russia plan, which appears to favour Kremlin interests, Europe’s top diplomats insisted that Europeans must be involved in any peace brokerage.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, welcomed any “meaningful efforts” to end the war but asserted that Ukrainian and European input was indispensable for any viable plan. “[Vladimir] Putin could end this war immediately if he just stopped bombing civilians and killing the people,” she stated. “We welcome all the meaningful efforts to end this war, but like we have said before, it has to be just and lasting. That also means that the Ukrainians, but also the Europeans, agree to this.”
Conflicting Reports from the Frontlines
On the military front, the chief of Russia’s general staff, Valery Gerasimov, informed Vladimir Putin that Russian forces had seized control of the north-eastern city of Kupiansk. However, Ukraine’s military firmly denied that the city had fallen.
Ukrainian officials also dismissed Russian claims of capturing large parts of Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub, and Vovchansk, near the Russian border. Gerasimov acknowledged that the fiercest fighting was concentrated near Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian forces were putting up “stiff resistance.”
UK Cracks Down on Russian Money Laundering Network
In a related development, Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed that a billion-dollar money laundering network operating across the UK had purchased a controlling stake in a Kyrgyzstani bank to facilitate sanctions evasion and support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In an update to “Operation Destabilise,” an international investigation into Russian money laundering, the NCA stated it was highlighting the vast scale of networks that convert cash from street crime into cryptocurrency. A global crackdown involving enforcement partners in the US, France, Spain, and Ireland has so far led to 128 arrests.
