Ukraine and Russia Trade Deadly Air Strikes Amidst Diplomatic Efforts

Kathmandu. There have been renewed deadly air strikes between Ukraine and Russia. This has further complicated diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire. 

Both sides attacked each other hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with European leaders in London. Five people were killed and 14 injured in a Russian attack in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region. According to the regional governor, Russia used drones and shelling to damage residential buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure. 

Similarly, more than 1,000 households in the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa have been left without electricity due to an attack on energy infrastructure. Earlier, the Russian army was reported to have targeted a nuclear fuel storage center near Chernobyl.

Ukraine has also carried out drone attacks in the Russian-controlled Crimea region, in which a railway assistant driver was reportedly killed and the driver injured. It is claimed that drone attacks on energy infrastructure in Russia's Volgograd region have stopped. Although the debris that fell during the incident caused a fire, no human casualties were reported. 

Similarly, a large fire broke out after a drone attack on Russia's Novorossiysk port. These attacks occurred at a time when Ukraine is advancing its proposal for direct ceasefire talks with Russia. Ukraine has proposed a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has stated that it is ready for a full ceasefire. 

However, Russia has rejected this, stating that there is no justification for such a meeting at the moment. 

After the meeting in London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron supported Zelenskyy's proposal for direct talks.