A Russian missile strike on Ukraine’s capital overnight has resulted in one fatality and four injuries. Kyiv’s mayor reported that among the injured was a nine-year-old girl, following the attacks that took place early Wednesday morning.
The Ukrainian military announced that it successfully intercepted six out of seven ballistic missiles and 71 drones launched by Russia, which led to multiple fires across the city.
This incident follows President Volodymyr Zelensky’s indication that Ukraine might consider territorial exchanges with Russia in future peace talks.
According to Mayor Vitali Klitschko, the missile strikes inflicted damage in several districts of Kyiv, including Holosiivskyi, Podilskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Obolonskyi.
Additionally, officials in Kryvyi Rih reported damage to residential structures and infrastructure due to Russian missile attacks on Tuesday night, as stated by Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Serhiy Lysak on Telegram.
In response to the attacks on Wednesday, Zelensky asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not preparing for peace.”
“He continues to kill Ukrainians and devastate cities.
“At this moment, we require unity and support from all our partners in the pursuit of a just resolution to this conflict,” he conveyed on Telegram.
In a recent interview with the Guardian, the Ukrainian president expressed his willingness to consider land swaps with Russia during potential peace negotiations.
He mentioned that parts of Russia’s Kursk region, which Ukraine has controlled since an offensive six months ago, could be returned in exchange for Ukrainian territories currently under Russian occupation.
While Ukraine has never aimed for permanent control over the territories it seized in Russia’s Kursk region, its objectives seem to be becoming more defined.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s influential Security Council, dismissed Zelensky’s proposal as “nonsense.”
“Peace through strength, is it?” he remarked, ridiculing a phrase often echoed by Zelensky in his international speeches. Medvedev seemed to imply that the recent attack was Russia’s method of achieving that objective.
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Initially, Ukraine had hoped that the Kursk operation would alleviate the strain on its stretched forces across various fronts. However, with Russia maintaining its dominance on the battlefield, President Zelensky is now seeking to leverage this situation politically.
He has acknowledged that Ukraine cannot secure any guarantees without the support of its primary ally, the United States.
During last year’s election campaign, former US President Donald Trump asserted that he could broker a resolution to Russia’s extensive invasion within a single day.
Recently, he took to social media to caution Putin that he would impose significant tariffs and additional sanctions on Russia if the conflict in Ukraine did not come to an end.
Putin has consistently stated his willingness to negotiate a resolution to the war, but insists that Ukraine must recognize the reality of Russian territorial acquisitions, which currently encompass about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky has previously indicated that he might have to temporarily relinquish some of the land currently under Russian control, but his recent comments to the Guardian represent the first instance where he has hinted at the possibility of permanent concessions.
Additionally, Putin remains adamant in his opposition to Ukraine’s accession to NATO, the military alliance of Western nations.
On Friday, Zelensky is scheduled to meet with US Vice President JD Vance, who has expressed skepticism regarding American military assistance to Kyiv.
Trump has also suggested that he could engage with Ukraine’s president following the Munich Security Conference over the weekend. The White House has shown interest in Ukraine’s natural resources as a potential trade-off for continued support.
