The contenders in the Ukraine war are focusing their attacks on the eastern front of the country, where daily combat occurs in a fierce struggle to gain every inch of ground. However, Russia has not forgotten about the Ukrainian capital, where it is also concentrating its efforts. This Wednesday, multiple explosions from a Russian attack using ballistic missiles have been heard in Kiev.
The Russian missiles have killed at least one person and injured four others in one of the city's districts, where the falling missile fragments, presumably intercepted, have caused a fire in a multi-story office building in the Obolon district. In the Golosivsky and Solomiansky districts, two other fires have occurred in buildings.
This new attack on Kiev comes in the week when Ukraine expects to receive a visit from a high-level delegation from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the prospects of a ceasefire to negotiate peace with Russia.
Ukrainian Drones Attack a City near the Zaporyzhye Nuclear Plant
Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on Wednesday in the city of Enerhodar, near the Zaporyzhye nuclear plant controlled by Russia in southern Ukraine, said the regional governor appointed by Moscow, as reported by Reuters.
The drones attacked a parking lot about 300 meters (0.2 miles) from one of the reactors of the plant, Yevgeny Balitsky wrote on Telegram.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has permanently stationed monitors at the plant and urged both parties to refrain from attacking it.
Ukrainian Defense Minister says arms deliveries and joint projects are on the agenda of allies' meeting
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that timely arms deliveries and joint projects with European partners were on the agenda of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
The meeting will be chaired by British Secretary of State for Defense John Healey. The group of about 50 nations, formed after Russia launched a large-scale invasion in 2022 and sometimes referred to as the Ramstein Group after the U.S. airbase in Germany where it first met, has previously been led by the United States.
In addition to discussing the need to accelerate shipments of air defense, aviation, and ammunition, Umerov said he planned to discuss increasing the volume of arms supplies produced in Europe and expanding Ukrainian production.
Russian President dismisses Ukraine's proposals for territory exchange as "absurd"
Dmitry Medvedev, Vice President of Russia's powerful Security Council, on Wednesday dismissed as "absurd" Kiev's proposals to exchange parts of Russian territory it holds for parts of Ukraine controlled by Moscow, as reported by Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Guardian newspaper that he planned to offer Russia a territory exchange to help end the war.
Medvedev, who was Russia's president from 2008 to 2012, said that Russia had shown it can achieve peace through force.
Zelensky after new Russian missile attack: "Putin is not preparing for peace"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on his social media on Wednesday after a new Russian missile and drone attack targeting Kiev that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, "is not preparing for peace" and "continues to kill Ukrainians and destroy cities," as reported by Efe.
This new Russian attack takes place before the visit to Ukraine of the first delegation from the new U.S. Republican administration, which, as Zelensky recently announced, is expected to take place this week and aims to boost the peace process promised by President Donald Trump to end the war.
"Only strong measures and pressure on Russia can stop this terror," Zelensky wrote, once again appealing for "unity and support" from all of Ukraine's partners to achieve a "fair" end to the war.
Ukrainian army shoots down 6 missiles and 71 drones launched by Russia overnight
The Ukrainian army said on Wednesday that it shot down six of the seven ballistic missiles and 71 drones launched by Russia overnight, as reported by Reuters.
The army said that 40 of the 123 drones launched were likely hit by electronic countermeasures and did not cause damage.
Russia releases American professor detained since 2021
Marc Fogel, an American professor who was detained in Russia, has been released and returned to the United States on Tuesday, in what the White House described as a diplomatic thaw that could boost negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, as reported by AP.
Steve Witkoff, special envoy of President Donald Trump, left Russia with Fogel and brought him to the White House, where he was welcomed by Trump.
"I feel like the luckiest man in the world right now," Fogel declared at the White House while standing next to Trump with an American flag over his shoulders.