Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asserted that Russia is unworthy of any relaxation or removal of sanctions, following a recent assault that resulted in 16 fatalities and around 100 injuries in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy emphasized that “Russia is wagering on warfare,” and he urged that the response should be commensurate: “We must safeguard lives using every means at our disposal and concurrently exert pressure to facilitate peace with equal vigor.”
According to Zelenskyy, nearly 700 drones and 19 ballistic missiles were launched by Russia, primarily targeting the capital, Kyiv, along with Odesa and Dnipro.
“There can be no normalization of relations with Russia in its current state. The pressure on Russia needs to be effective,” he stated.
In a separate development, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is expected to convene with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while Germany’s Friedrich Merz will welcome Ireland’s Micheál Martin.
Following the overnight strikes, the Ukrainian military retaliated by targeting two oil facilities in Russia-controlled Crimea and attacking infrastructure in the southern Russian port city of Tuapse, as reported by Kyiv’s drone forces commander via Telegram.
On the other hand, the Russian defense ministry claimed that its recent operations were aimed at production sites for cruise missiles and drones, as well as energy facilities supplying Ukraine’s military, as reported by Reuters.
Ukrainian officials, however, have indicated that the bombardments resulted in civilian casualties, including two teenagers among the deceased, with a total of 16 lives lost and approximately 100 individuals injured.
This latest assault from the Kremlin follows a 32-hour truce for Orthodox Easter, which was marred by allegations of widespread violations from both sides, as noted by AFP.
Peace negotiations led by the United States to resolve the ongoing conflict, now in its fifth year, have been complicated by the ongoing US and Israeli military engagements in Iran.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius highlighted that while “the so-called peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have currently been put on hold, it is clear that Russia has never regarded them seriously.” He underscored the importance of continuing support for Ukraine.
António Costa, President of the European Council, condemned the “horrendous” overnight attacks carried out by Russia, accusing Russian forces of intentionally targeting emergency responders.
“As people rested in their homes, cities including Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, and Kharkiv came under fire from numerous ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones. Russian military forces deliberately executed follow-up strikes on Ukrainian emergency services as they arrived to assist,” Costa stated.
“Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine has failed, prompting it to resort to terrorizing civilians. This war of terror must come to an end,” he concluded.
