Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially halted all efforts to end the war quickly. He said in an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK that he could not respond to calls for a ceasefire as long as Russia occupied Ukrainian territory, reaffirming his government’s previous line.
According to him, three important conditions are needed for the path to a just peace: “Patience, support (for Ukraine) and diplomatic pressure (on Moscow)” will show Moscow that it has no chance,” he stressed.
Contact Trump and Harris
In recent days, Kiev has made official contact with Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, the two Republican and Democratic competitors in the race for the US presidency. Above all, Ukraine fears the loss of American support in the fight against Russia if Trump wins the election. “We were in contact with his team,” Zelensky said.
Russia has been waging a brutal war of aggression against Ukraine for two and a half years. Kiev relies on Western support for its defense. The US has been Ukraine’s biggest supporter so far.
Russia has recently stepped up its attacks
Meanwhile, the Russian air force has hit the Kharkov region in eastern Ukraine hard. According to a statement from the General Staff in Kiev, the town of Vovchansk alone was hit by at least six glide bombs. In addition, according to the information, Russian jet fighters attacked Ukrainian positions. There was no information about possible losses.
Another focus of Russian attacks was Pokrovsk. During the day, sixteen attacks were repelled and more were in progress. The information could not be independently verified.
Several Russian artillery and combat drone strikes were also reported in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The regional military administration said without further details that several people were injured.
In the Liman sector in the east of the country, Russian units attacked Ukrainian army positions. According to the General Staff, at least 12 attacks were recorded.
“Destroy power”
Zelensky described the situation in the Donetsk sector as particularly difficult. “Pokrovsk has seen the most Russian attacks in recent weeks,” he said, praising Ukrainian units deployed there in his evening video message. “Whoever stops these Russian attacks and destroys this Russian strike force will fulfill one of the most important tasks in this war.”
The Ukrainian military has reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on Russian troops in eastern Luhansk with a missile attack. Members of an armored infantry unit were fired upon with ATACMS missiles during a rally at a training ground, Ukrainian media reported, citing Russian social media and their own military circles. At least 19 Russian soldiers were killed and another 71 wounded in the surprise attack, which reportedly took place on Saturday. The information could not be independently verified.
Ukrainian troops usually use ATACMS missiles, which come from US stockpiles, only against high-value targets. It is possible that the troops gathering near Luhansk had been detected earlier by a reconnaissance drone.
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.
