Kyiv Attacked Amid Peace Talks Discussions and Military Movements
Kyiv experienced missile and drone attacks on a Saturday, leading to two explosions and an air raid alert lasting about four hours, though no immediate damage was reported. Polish reaction to the Russian strikes included the closure of airports in Rzeszow and Lublin and the scrambling of fighter jets. Ukraine claimed it used UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to target the Russian Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in the Rostov region.
A revised 20-point peace plan was released, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating it is approximately 90% complete and could be presented to a referendum if Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire. Donald Trump commented that Zelenskyy does not have anything until Trump has approved it, ahead of their meeting in Florida to discuss the plan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to join Zelenskyy and Trump on a call with other European leaders to pursue lasting peace, while UK opposition leader Keir Starmer said France and Germany would coordinate their efforts.
Military developments include Russia's believed deployment of nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles at a former airbase in eastern Belarus, although Belarus's defense minister said this deployment would not change the balance of power. Russia also claimed to have downed seven British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles over the past week. Additionally, overnight drone strikes caused damage to vessels in the Odesa and Mykolaiv ports, impacting ships flagged from Slovakia, Palau, and Liberia.
