A devastating wave of Russian drone and missile strikes hit Kyiv, killing 15 people and injuring 145 others, including 14 children. The attacks, which targeted multiple districts in the Ukrainian capital, brought down an apartment block and damaged several other buildings, including a hospital, school, and kindergarten.
The Russian defence ministry claimed it conducted precision strikes on “military-industrial facilities in the Kyiv region”. However, Ukrainian officials said the attacks were indiscriminate and resulted in significant civilian casualties. “An entire entrance was destroyed. Rescuers are clearing the rubble,” said Ukraine’s interior minister Ihor Klymenko.
US President Donald Trump had demanded that Russia agree to a ceasefire by August 8, warning of tougher sanctions if Moscow fails to comply. Acting US representative to the United Nations John Kelley emphasized the need for both Russia and Ukraine to negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. “Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. It is time to make a deal,” Kelley said.
Trump’s deadline for a ceasefire has been shortened from 50 days to “ten or 12 days”, with the US president expressing frustration at Russia’s continued aggression. “We were going to have a ceasefire and maybe peace… and all of a sudden you have missiles flying into Kyiv and other places,” Trump said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, saying, “The world has yet again seen Russia’s response to our, America’s and Europe’s desire for peace. More demonstrative murder,” he said on social media. “This is why peace without strength is impossible.”
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for maximum pressure on Moscow through sanctions, saying Trump had been “very generous and patient” with Putin, but now it’s time for a tougher approach. Sybiha described the morning in Kyiv as “horrible”, with people still trapped under the rubble.
Russia claimed to have captured the strategically important hilltop town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine. However, Ukraine denied the claim, and military analysts said fighting was still ongoing. Controlling Chasiv Yar would give Russia a significant advantage in targeting major cities in the Donetsk region.
The situation on the front line remains dire, with Ukrainian forces facing superior Russian manpower and reported shortages in the east. The town of Pokrovsk is considered a key target for Russian troops, and analysts warn that the thousands of Ukrainians defending the city could be at risk of encirclement.