Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine have resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including two children, while causing widespread power outages across the nation. This escalation comes as plans for a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been postponed.
The attacks primarily affected the capital, Kyiv, where debris from intercepted missiles ignited fires in multiple districts. According to Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, the strikes triggered significant damage and danger across the city. He reported that emergency services were actively battling fires in at least half of Kyiv’s districts.
Ukrainian officials have criticized Russia’s actions, asserting that Moscow is continuing its military aggression despite Ukraine’s willingness to engage in ceasefire negotiations. Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasized this point in a Telegram message, stating, “Ukraine long ago agreed to the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, while Moscow is doing everything to keep the killing going.” He called for intensified collective action against Putin’s regime.
The U.S. administration has responded to the ongoing violence by halting plans for a leadership summit. A senior U.S. official confirmed to Reuters that there are currently no intentions to reschedule the meeting, largely due to Russia’s rejection of immediate ceasefire discussions.
As the situation unfolds, President Zelenskyy is set to visit Sweden on March 6, 2024, to meet with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. While details of the visit remain under wraps, it marks another step in Ukraine’s diplomatic outreach amid the ongoing conflict.
The recent attacks in Kyiv resulted in two fatalities in the city, while four others, including two children, died in nearby regions as a result of the strikes. Emergency services reported rescuing ten individuals from a fire in a high-rise building in the Dniprovskyi district. Five people, including a child, were hospitalized following the incident.
The strikes extended beyond Kyiv, impacting several regions across Ukraine. The Poltava region sustained damage to oil and gas facilities in the Myrhorod district due to the attacks. In the frontline southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, overnight assaults led to injuries for 13 individuals, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.
Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk reported that the attacks targeted the country’s energy infrastructure, resulting in emergency power outages across most regions, including Kyiv. “All night the enemy struck the country’s energy infrastructure,” she stated in a Telegram post.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian energy facilities have frequently been targeted, with Russia asserting these sites are legitimate military objectives. The latest round of attacks on March 5 left four individuals dead and deprived hundreds of thousands of people of power and water. Ukrainian officials contend this represents a broader strategy by Moscow to undermine the nation’s energy system as winter approaches.
As the humanitarian toll rises, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with calls for a more robust response to Russia’s sustained aggression.
