Russian troops launched rocket attacks on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia on Thursday. A house was hit, killing at least two people. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced retaliatory measures. Meanwhile, the city of Bakhmut is on the verge of collapse, but Ukraine’s defense minister remains optimistic.
“We will respond militarily and legally to today’s brutal Russian missile attack on Zaporizhia,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address on Thursday. “The occupier will inevitably feel our power, the power of justice in every sense of the word.”
A multi-storey residential building in the southern Ukrainian city was hit by a missile during the Russian airstrike on Thursday night. Two residents were killed, eight people were injured. According to official information, ten residents were still missing on Thursday evening.
Bachmut would only be a “small victory”.
Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov is not ruling out a case in the city of Bakhmut, which has been the subject of fighting for months. But with this, Russia only achieves “a small victory”, he told the “Bild”. At the same time, Resnikov was confident that Ukraine would win this year. “I am an optimist, I see the situation on the battlefield, I see the development of support and I really see that there is a chance to end this war with our victory this year,” he said. It involves “the liberation of all our temporarily occupied territories up to our internationally recognized 1991 borders.” He rejected calls for negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the interview, Reznikov also expressed confidence that his country will soon receive Western fighter jets. “I’m sure we’ll get two to three different types of fighter jets,” he said. Military support for Ukraine should also be the main topic of a meeting between US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House on Friday. Details leaked out in advance.
According to reports from US government circles, Washington plans to announce a military aid package worth US$400 million. The assistance is expected to consist primarily of Guided Multiple Rocket Launchers (GMLRS) for HIMARS launchers, ammunition for Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and armored bridge laying vehicles. Since the start of the war a year ago, the US has provided Ukraine with security assistance totaling about $27.2 billion.
Lula wants peace talks
Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a video call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Afterwards, Lula tweeted that he wanted to encourage other countries to participate in peace talks to end the conflict. “I have reiterated Brazil’s wish to speak with other countries and take any initiative to establish peace and dialogue. War cannot interest anyone.”
Lula refused to supply Ukraine with German-made munitions, which Brazil has. He also reiterated that his country would remain neutral in the conflict. But Russia made a mistake by invading a sovereign country.
“Preserve Territorial Integrity”
“We stressed the importance of upholding the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter after the conversation. “We also discussed diplomatic efforts to restore peace in Ukraine and in the world.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
