Russia strikes Kyiv as brief halt to hostilities ends
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Russian air strikes have injured eight people and caused a fire in a nine-storey apartment building in Kyiv, as Moscow resumed attacks on the Ukrainian capital after a short break for the United States envoys’ trip.
Reuters footage showed servicemen trying to put out a fire on Friday at the apartment building in Kyiv where a number of windows were blown out.
Russia returned to its near-constant air attacks on Kyiv this week after a brief halt during the visit to Moscow and Kyiv of US President Donald Trump’s negotiators seeking to end the war which the Kremlin started by invading Ukraine in 2022.
In Russia, Ukrainian drones damaged civilian infrastructure in the central Volga River city of Saratov, regional governor Roman Busargin said on Telegram, adding that there were no casualties.
Russian e-commerce company Ozon said a Ukraine drone attack caused a fire at its logistics hub in Saratov, adding to more than two dozen warehouses, owned by Ozon and its top peer Wildberries, that have been recently hit.
The Saratov region, a frequent target of Ukrainian air strikes, including an attack earlier this week, is home to a large oil refinery run by state oil company Rosneft, as well as a number of other industrial and military facilities.
In the city of Volgograd south of Saratov and also located on the Volga River, a missile attack injured two after hitting a residential building, with its debris also damaging an industrial facility, local authorities said on Telegram.
The post did not provide details about the industrial facility. The Volgograd oil refinery run by Lukoil, one of Russia’s biggest by processing capacity, is located on the outskirts of the city.
Reuters could not immediately verify the reports. Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians.
Meanwhile, Canada has agreed to a major aid package for Ukraine to acquire air defence interceptors, Prime Minister Mark Carney says after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Ukraine is running critically low on US-made Patriot interceptors capable of stopping Russia’s ballistic missiles.
“As Russia escalates its barbaric aerial warfare indiscriminately targeting civilian populations, Ukraine’s air defences are critical,” Carney told reporters in Calgary.
“Earlier today Canada and Ukraine finalised an agreement to deliver critical air defence interceptors … this $C350 million ($A353 million) equipment package will help protect Ukraine’s people, infrastructure and skies,” he said.
He did not give details of which interceptors would be delivered or when the aid would start flowing.
The weapons will be provided through a US program that allows third-party countries to quickly buy and supply weapons such as Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
“I thank you for this package. It’s of (the) utmost importance, especially now,” Zelenskiy said.
Canada, one of Ukraine’s most vocal defenders, has committed more than $C25.5 billion in overall aid since Russia invaded in February 2022, including $C8.5 billion in military assistance.
Carney also said Canada aimed to ramp up drone production to be able to produce millions of units within the next two years.
One-third of those would go to Ukraine, he said.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine needed more technology and funding to produce enough drones to fend off mass Russian attacks.
Zelenskiy on Thursday said there would be no trilateral meeting on how to end the war before general elections in Russia.
Zelenskiy said Ukrainian and US negotiators were in constant contact and he hoped for progress in talks on energy and grain at the end of September after his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Russia will hold parliamentary elections on September 20.
Reuters