At least nine people have been killed in a massive Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv overnight, which also injured 63 people including six children.
The attack came hours after president Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of preventing a peace deal and claiming he has been “harder” to deal with than Russia.
“I think Russia is ready… I think we have a deal with Russia,” Trump said to reporters. “We have to get a deal with Zelensky, I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky but so far it’s been harder.”
Pressed on his comments, Mr Trump said he does not have any “favourites” in the conflict – despite the US being a vital Ukrainian ally – and that he just “[wants to] save the lives” and “see the war end”.
Mr Zelensky on Tuesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia as part of any US-proposed deal. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” he said.
Massive Russian strike on Kyiv kills 9 overnight
A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack hit Kyiv overnight, killing nine people and injuring another 63, including six children, Ukrainian authorities said this morning.
The Kyiv City Military Administration said on its Telegram channel that Russia struck Kyiv with drones and ballistic missiles. At least 42 people were hospitalised, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said. Rescue operations were still underway early morning to find bodies under the rubble.
Fires were reported in several residential buildings said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city military administration.
The attack, which began around 1am, hit at least four neighborhoods in Kyiv. In Sviatoshynkskyi district, a fire broke out in a residential building that was damaged in the attack.
People were trapped under rubble in the building, the Kyiv City Administration said.
More fires were reported in the Shevchenkivsky and Holosiivskyi districts.
Trump says Zelensky prolonging war
President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukraine’s president, saying Volodymyr Zelensky is prolonging the “killing field” after pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.
Zelensky on Tuesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among US, European and Ukrainian officials.
“There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said.
During similar talks last week in Paris, US officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump called Zelenky’s pushback “very harmful” to talks.”Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognise Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote on social media.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after sending troops to overrun it. Weeks later, Moscow-backed separatists launched an uprising in eastern Ukraine, battling Kyiv’s forces.
Trump also asserted they were close to a deal and that Ukraine’s leader can have peace or “he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” adding that Zelenskyy’s statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!”
In pictures: Russia attacks Kyiv, killing 9
Nine killed in a massive Russian strike on Kyiv
A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack hit Kyiv overnight, killing nine people and injuring another 63, including six children, Ukrainian authorities said.
The Kyiv City Military Administration said on its Telegram channel on Thursday that Russia struck Kyiv with drones and ballistic missiles.
Fires were reported in several residential buildings, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city military administration.
Russian journalist dies of wounds suffered in March in Ukraine war
A Russian journalist caught in a Ukrainian artillery strike last month died of his wounds in hospital, his publication said early this morning.
Nikita Goldin, who worked for the military’s Zvezda Television, was part of a group that came under attack in a Moscow-controlled part of Luhansk region in northeastern Ukraine on 24 March.
Six people died in the strike, including two other journalists and their driver.
Goldin, who also wrote for the military daily Krasnaya Zvezda, was taken to a military hospital in Moscow, but died of his wounds nearly a month after the attack.
Russia’s foreign ministry accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting the journalists in the attack.
Data provided earlier in the war by the Committee to Protect Journalists counted at least 15 journalists killed since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian journalist dies of wounds suffered in March in Ukraine war
A Russian journalist caught in a Ukrainian artillery strike last month died of his wounds in hospital, his publication said early this morning.
Nikita Goldin, who worked for the military’s Zvezda Television, was part of a group that came under attack in a Moscow-controlled part of Luhansk region in northeastern Ukraine on 24 March.
Six people died in the strike, including two other journalists and their driver.
Goldin, who also wrote for the military daily Krasnaya Zvezda, was taken to a military hospital in Moscow, but died of his wounds nearly a month after the attack.
Russia’s foreign ministry accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting the journalists in the attack.
Data provided earlier in the war by the Committee to Protect Journalists counted at least 15 journalists killed since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
JD Vance’s bluster over peace in Ukraine shows why Zelensky swerved an American ambush in London
Marco Rubio cancelled his visit to London for ceasefire talks after it emerged that Volodymyr Zelensky wasn’t coming – and then JD Vance got cross. Ukraine’s president certainly swerved an ambush, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley.
US wants to sign economic partnership with Ukraine ‘as soon as possible’
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent met Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal and finance minister Sergii Marchenko yesterday and stressed the need to sign an economic partnership between the two countries as soon as possible, the US Treasury Department said.
Washington has said it will walk away from efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine unless there are clear signs of progress soon.
After the US and Ukraine reached a memo of understanding on Thursday, US president Donald Trump said he expected to sign a minerals deal with Kyiv this week.
An attempt in February fell apart following Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s Oval Office clash with Trump.
“Secretary Bessent reaffirmed the United States’ support for Ukrainian sovereignty and emphasized the United States’ dedication to secure a lasting, durable peace for the people of both Ukraine and Russia,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.
“Secretary Bessent emphasised the need to conclude technical talks and sign the economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine as soon as possible.”
The real truth behind Trump’s latest attack on Zelensky over potential US peace deal
Donald Trump’s best option now is to walk away from his so-called peace talks, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley.
Zelensky harder to deal with than Russia, says Trump
US president Donald Trump said on Wednesday he thought Russia had agreed to a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine.
“I think we have a deal with Russia. We have to get a deal with Zelensky,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far it’s been harder.”
Adding that he does not have any “favourites”, Trump said he just “wanna save the lives” and “see the war end”
Source: independent.co.uk