Major Russian Assault on Ukrainian Capital
Russian forces launched a significant wave of missile attacks on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, in the early hours of Tuesday, striking residential buildings and critical energy infrastructure. The assault left at least four people injured and triggered multiple fires across the city, with emergency services working tirelessly to contain the blazes.
The Ukrainian air force issued a stark warning of a 'missile threat for all of Ukraine' as the attack unfolded, highlighting the scale of the offensive on day 1,371 of the conflict.
Residential Buildings Targeted and Infrastructure Damaged
Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, confirmed that a high-rise residential building on the left bank of the Dnipro River had been directly hit. Four people received medical treatment for injuries, while rescue teams successfully evacuated at least eight individuals from the damaged structure.
Unofficial Telegram channels circulated photographs showing apartments ablaze on the upper floors of the building, illustrating the severity of the impact. In a separate incident, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that another high-rise in the central Pechersk district was struck, necessitating a full evacuation of residents.
The mayor also confirmed significant disruptions to the city's power and water supplies following the attacks on energy infrastructure, leaving many residents without essential services.
Cross-Border Strikes and Diplomatic Developments
In a retaliatory move, Ukrainian airstrikes targeted the Russian port city of Taganrog early Tuesday, resulting in one fatality and three injuries according to mayor Svetlana Kambulova. The attack damaged two apartment blocks, a private home, a mechanical college, two industrial enterprises, and a kindergarten.
The military developments occurred against a backdrop of significant diplomatic activity. Ukraine has substantially amended the US 'peace plan' to end the war, removing some of Russia's maximalist demands, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
European leaders cautioned that reaching a swift agreement remains unlikely. Meanwhile, sources indicated that Volodymyr Zelenskyy may meet with Donald Trump at the White House later this week, amid intensified communications between Kyiv and Washington.
The White House has pushed back against criticism, including from within Republican ranks, that Trump is showing favouritism towards Russia in peace efforts. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Monday that the United States is engaging equally with both sides to bring the conflict to an end, describing claims to the contrary as a 'complete and total fallacy'.
Analysts suggest the leaked US-Russia peace proposal has created precisely the conditions Vladimir Putin has long sought - a negotiating table sharply tilted in the Russian president's favour, with Ukraine cornered into considering unacceptable terms while facing the potential loss of its most important ally.
In a separate development, a Lithuanian court convicted a Ukrainian national on Monday for carrying out an arson attack on an Ikea store in Vilnius last year. Authorities believe Russian military intelligence orchestrated the attack, allegedly targeting Ikea due to its withdrawal from Russia and Sweden's support for Ukraine. The convicted individual, a minor at the time of the May 2024 incident, received a three-year, four-month prison sentence after pleading guilty.
