EU Foreign Policy Chief, Kaja Kallas has slammed Russia’s claims of seeking peace with Ukraine, saying that Russian attacks on Ukraine mocks those claims.
In a post on social media, she said, “While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv.”
“This isn’t a pursuit of peace, it’s a mockery of it. The real obstacle is not Ukraine but Russia, whose war aims have not changed.”
Kaja Kallas
Kallas’ remarks came in reaction to overnight attacks launched by Russia on Ukraine.
Irish Prime Minister, Micheal Martin also condemned the attacks, saying the targeting of civilians must stop and that the time for “a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine” has come.
Dutch Defence Minister, Ruben Brekelmans said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is doing the opposite of what he needs to be doing in attacking Ukraine. “To stop this aggressor in Europe, more support for Ukraine and military deterrence are needed,” he wrote.
Additionally, Estonia’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna said that a “horrible night” in Ukraine shows that for Moscow, peace means “death and destruction.”
The Ukrainian air force disclosed that Russia fired at least 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine overnight, the main target being Kyiv where at least nine people were killed.
In a statement on social media, the air force said it had “detected and tracked 215 enemy air targets” – including ballistic and cruise missiles – of which 112 were “confirmed to have been shot down.”
It added that F-16 and Mirage fighter jets played “an active part in repelling the attack,” with Ukrainian pilots shooting down “dozens” of missiles.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, in a post on Telegram, called the overnight attack “particularly horrible” and confirmed nine deaths and over 70 people injured, including six children.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed that it had targeted Ukraine’s defence industry, including plants that produced “rocket fuel and gunpowder” in overnight strikes.
“Overnight, the Russian armed forces carried out a massive strike with long-range air, land and sea-based weapons, and drones, on Ukraine’s aviation, aerospace, machine-building and armoured vehicle industries.
“The objectives of the strike have been achieved”.
Russia’s defense ministry
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is currently in South Africa, noted that it has been “44 days since Ukraine agreed to a complete ceasefire” proposed by the US, but Russia “continues to kill people and avoid tough pressure and accountability for this.”
He iterated that 9 people were dead, and over 80 injured as a result of overnight strikes.
“It is very important that everyone in the world sees and understands what is really happening.
“The cessation of strikes is necessary immediately and unconditionally. We also count on assistance in humanitarian matters – in the return of our captives and Ukrainian children abducted by Russia,” he said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy said that he would ask partners to help Ukraine strengthen its air defence to protect against further strikes.
He noted that his visit to South Africa will be cut short as he intends to immediately return to Ukraine in the aftermath of the overnight attack.
Russia Blames Zelenskyy For Wrecking Peace Diplomacy
Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy of wrecking diplomacy aimed at reaching a peace deal after he refused to agree to recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.
This came after Russia launched deadly attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities overnight.
Russian foreign ministry Spokesperson, Maria Zakharova told reporters that it was becoming clearer by the minute that Zelenskyy lacked the capacity to negotiate a deal to end the war.
Zakharova said that decisions by European countries to continue supplying weapons to Kyiv were encouraging Zelenskyy to pursue the war, regardless of casualties.
She claimed that their attitude showed some European countries were frightened by the prospect of a Russian victory.
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