Russia attacks Kyiv with missiles as Zelenskiy speaks to Trump, Europe for a peace deal
Missile Strikes and Diplomatic Efforts Amid Ongoing Conflict
By Jekaterina Golubkova and Ronald Popeski
Missile Attacks on Kyiv and Other Ukrainian Cities
June 18 (Reuters) - Russia attacked Kyiv with missiles, local authorities said on Thursday, as they urged residents to take shelter hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders.
A Reuters witness heard explosions in Kyiv, while authorities of the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy said one person was killed in a drone attack, as air strike alerts were issued for most of Ukraine's territory.
Warnings and Immediate Response
"The enemy is attacking the capital with ballistic missiles. Stay in safe places until the air raid alert is over!" Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, said in a Telegram post early on Thursday.
International Diplomacy and Peace Talks
In France, Zelenskiy said he had spoken to Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, after meeting other leaders attending a Group of Seven meeting. He described it as a "coordinating conversation" to try to end the more than four-year-long Russian war on Ukraine.
Recent Attacks and Global Reactions
The strike on Kyiv is the second air attack by Russia this week. A 1,000-year-old monastery that symbolises Ukraine's spiritual and cultural heritage was badly damaged on Monday in a major attack by Russia that killed 10 people and drew condemnation from European leaders.
Statements from World Leaders
Trump and Putin's Positions
Trump said on Wednesday that Russia was losing more soldiers than Ukraine, after he suggested that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy seemed open to doing something about the war.
Putin had not discussed the possibility of a meeting with Zelenskiy during his latest phone call with Trump, the Kremlin said this week. Russia has been saying it was Ukraine that was losing.
Other Regional Attacks and Claims
Ukrainian and Russian Reports
In the Ukrainian city of Enerhodar, where most of the staff of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant live, Russia-appointed Mayor Maksim Pukhov said on Telegram that Ukrainian strikes killed one person and injured four.
In Russia's Belgorod border region, local officials said a Ukrainian drone strike killed one man in his car. On Wednesday, Moscow had accused Ukraine of attacking a bus carrying Belarusian schoolchildren, an allegation Kyiv said was "false".
Verification and Civilian Impact
Reuters could not independently verify the reports.
Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians in the war that started with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
(Reporting by Jekaterīna Golubkova and Ron Popeski; Editing by Nia Williams and Neil Fullick)