Photo credit: www.cbc.ca
Early Sunday, Russia initiated a large-scale drone assault and airstrikes across Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals, according to local officials. This military action unfolded shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed skepticism regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to ending the ongoing conflict.
The regional prosecutor’s office reported that three individuals lost their lives and four were injured due to airstrikes on Kostyantynivka, situated in the eastern Donetsk region. Additionally, in a drone strike targeting the city of Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which has endured attacks for three nights in a row, another person was killed, and a 14-year-old girl sustained injuries, as confirmed by Governor Serhiy Lysak.
This wave of assaults came just hours after Russia announced that it had successfully regained control over areas in the Kursk region previously captured by Ukrainian forces during a surprise offensive in August 2024. However, Ukrainian officials contest this claim, stating that conflict in the Kursk area is still active.
In recent comments, Trump conveyed doubts about Putin’s desire to end the conflict, casting further uncertainty on the likelihood of a peace agreement being reached soon. Just a day prior, Trump had indicated that Ukraine and Russia were “very close to a deal.”
“There was no reason for Putin to be firing missiles into civilian areas, cities, and towns over the past few days,” Trump posted on social media while returning to the United States after attending Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican, where he had a brief meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump also hinted at potential further sanctions against Russia.
WATCH | Is Putin playing Trump about peace in Ukraine?:
Is Putin playing Trump about peace in Ukraine?
As the U.S. pushes Ukraine toward a ceasefire, Russia seems to be moving in the opposite direction. CBC’s Terence McKenna investigates the latest developments and explores why some believe that Vladimir Putin may be attempting to manipulate Donald Trump through his affluent real estate connections.
The encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy marked their first in-person meeting since a contentious discussion at the White House on February 28.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted on Sunday that the upcoming week would be “very critical,” emphasizing that the U.S. needs to evaluate its future involvement in the situation.
When asked during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press about potential concessions to Russia, Rubio underscored the importance of practicality and realism.
“There is no military solution to this war. The only resolution lies in a negotiated agreement where both parties will have to relinquish certain demands and grant concessions to each other,” he asserted.
In the latest series of attacks, Russia unleashed 149 explosive drones and decoys, as reported by the Ukrainian air force, which noted that 57 of these were intercepted and another 67 jammed.
Further, one individual was injured in drone attacks in the Odesa region, while another was hurt in Zhytomyr. Local officials also indicated that four more individuals suffered injuries due to a Russian airstrike in the city of Kherson on Sunday.
Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that their air defenses successfully shot down five Ukrainian drones in the Bryansk border region, as well as three more over the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia has unlawfully annexed since 2014.
In a retaliatory move, Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Horlivka in the partially occupied Donetsk region, injuring five individuals, according to Ivan Prikhodko, the mayor appointed by Russian authorities.
Source
www.cbc.ca