Russia and Ukraine traded accusations of lethal drone attacks on civilian areas within their territories on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy anticipated a busy week of diplomacy at the UN General Assembly in New York, where the Security Council was slated to address the ongoing conflict that has lasted over three years.
During the night, at least seven Russian aircraft conducted airstrikes on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, resulting in three fatalities and two injuries, as reported by regional administration head Ivan Fedorov. The assault, which commenced around 4:20 a.m. local time and lasted approximately 40 minutes, targeted residential buildings, shopping centers, a parking lot, and critical infrastructure, according to Fedorov, who stated that none of the locations had military connections.
The Ukrainian air force claimed to have thwarted 132 out of the 141 strike and decoy drones launched by Russian forces overnight. In a social media update detailing the attacks and the subsequent response by Ukrainian emergency services, Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity for strong sanctions and political pressure on Russia ahead of the upcoming meetings in New York City.
Zelenskyy, striving to advance peace efforts, proposed a ceasefire and a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Moscow has raised objections to some of the proposals, indicating that an end to the bloodshed remains elusive. Zelenskyy is set to participate in the UN General Assembly, where he aims to garner support for halting Russia’s invasion through nearly two dozen scheduled meetings with global leaders.
Russian officials countered Ukraine’s claims, with the Moscow-appointed head of Crimea’s Foros resort alleging that three people died and 16 were injured in a drone attack by Ukrainian forces. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry refuted the presence of military facilities in the targeted area. In response to Ukrainian drone attacks in Russia’s Belgorod region, three individuals were killed, and ten others were wounded, as confirmed by regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Amid escalating tensions, concerns have emerged regarding the conflict’s potential to spill over into neighboring countries. European nations rebuked Russia for alleged provocations, including incidents involving Russian drones landing in Poland and fighter aircraft breaching Estonian airspace. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics expressed apprehension over Russia’s actions, suggesting that the country was testing NATO’s response while seeking to diminish Western support for Ukraine.
Despite international condemnations and escalating hostilities, Russia’s Defence Ministry denied allegations of violating Estonian airspace, dismissing claims by Estonia and NATO as baseless provocations. The situation remains fluid, with diplomatic efforts ongoing to address the crisis and prevent further escalation.
