A Russian missile strike on a nine-story Kyiv residence constructing was an indication that more pressure should be utilized on Moscow to conform to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned on Thursday (June 19, 2025), as Moscow intensifies assaults in the struggle.
The drone and missile assault on Kyiv early Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital this 12 months, killed 28 individuals throughout town and wounded 142 others, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko mentioned.
Mr. Zelenskyy, together with the pinnacle of the presidential workplace, Andrii Yermak, and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, visited the location of the residence constructing in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district on Thursday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute to the 23 individuals who died there after a direct hit by a missile introduced down the construction.
“This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing,” Mr. Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine’s companions who he mentioned are able to pressure Russia to “feel the real cost of the war.”
Intensifying assaults
Tuesday’s assault on Kyiv was a part of a sweeping barrage as Russia as soon as once more sought to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences. Russia fired more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Mr. Zelenskyy referred to as one of many greatest bombardments of the struggle, which started on Feb. 24, 2022.
As Russia proceeds with a summer time offensive on components of the roughly 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) entrance line, U.S.-led peace efforts have failed to realize traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has successfully rejected a suggestion from U.S. President Donald Trump for an instantaneous 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt on Ukraine’s mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms provides.
Meanwhile, Middle East tensions and U.S. commerce tariffs have drawn away world consideration from Ukraine’s pleas for more diplomatic and financial pressure to be positioned on Moscow.
In latest weeks, Russia has intensified long-range assaults which have struck city residential areas. Yet on Wednesday, Mr. Putin denied that his navy had struck such targets, saying that assaults have been “against military industries, not residential quarters.”
Mr. Putin instructed senior information leaders of worldwide information companies in St. Petersburg, Russia, that he was open to talks with Mr. Zelenskyy, however repeated his accusation that the Ukrainian chief had misplaced his legitimacy after his time period expired final 12 months — allegations rejected by Kyiv and its allies.
“We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of a settlement,” Mr. Putin mentioned, noting {that a} earlier spherical of talks in Istanbul had led to an trade of prisoners and the our bodies of fallen troopers.
Prisoners exchanged
A brand new spherical of such exchanges occurred in Ukraine’s Chernihiv area on Thursday, involving the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of struggle who, in keeping with Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War or KSHPPV, have been affected by extreme well being points brought on by accidents and extended detention.
The trade was confirmed by Russia’s Defence Ministry, which launched a video of Russian servicemen at an trade space in Belarus after being launched in the prisoner swap.
Commenting on the trade, Mr. Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram: “We are working to get our people back. Thank you to everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free each and every one.”
Many of the exchanged Ukrainian POWs had spent over three years in captivity, with a big quantity captured in the course of the defence of the now Russian-occupied metropolis of Mariupol in 2022, in keeping with the KSHPPV, which added that preparations for one other prisoner trade are ongoing.
In St. Petersburg on Wednesday, Mr. Putin praised Mr. Trump’s push for peace in Ukraine. But Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on Thursday that it was his nation that had “unconditionally accepted” the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, and mentioned that Russian claims of willingness to finish the struggle have been “manipulations.”
“It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the U.S. peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process … 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it,” Mr. Sybiha wrote.
“Ukraine remains committed to peace. Unfortunately, Russia continues to choose war, disregarding U.S. efforts to end the killing,” he added.
Overnight on Wednesday, Russia fired a barrage of 104 Shahed and decoy drones throughout Ukraine, in keeping with the nation’s air pressure. Of these, 88 have been intercepted, jammed, or misplaced from radars mid-flight.
There have been no rapid experiences of casualties or injury brought on by the assault.
Published – June 20, 2025 08:56 am IST
