Explosions rocked Kyiv early Sunday morning after authorities warned of a potential ballistic missile attack, just two days before the fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
اضافة اعلان
The Kyiv City Military Administration declared an "air alert in Kyiv due to the threat (...) of ballistic weapons" shortly before the explosions were heard around 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT). Residents were urged to remain in shelters until the alert was lifted. Subsequently, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the local military administration, announced on Telegram that the capital had been targeted by ballistic weapons. Shortly after, the Air Force extended the alert across all Ukrainian territory due to the missile threat.
Russia, which currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory, has been striking civilian areas and infrastructure daily, recently triggering the country's worst energy crisis since the war began in 2022. Temperatures in the capital dropped to approximately -10°C on Sunday morning as it came under fire once again.
In Lviv, located near the Polish border, explosions overnight Saturday-Sunday killed one policewoman and injured at least 15 others, according to the city's mayor. Since the onset of the conflict, Ukrainian military personnel and officials have been targeted by bombings in locations far from the frontlines.
The Starlink Ban
Russia launched its war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, igniting the deadliest and most destructive conflict in Europe since World War II. Since then, tens—and potentially hundreds—of thousands of people have been killed on both sides, and millions have fled Ukraine.
Despite heavy losses, Russian forces continue their slow advance, particularly in the Donbas region, the epicenter of the fighting in the east. In an interview with AFP at the presidential palace in Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked, "It cannot be said that we are losing the war; frankly, we are certainly not losing it. The question is, will we win?" He added, "Yes, that is the question, but it is one with a very high price."
Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian forces had reclaimed 300 square kilometers of territory from Russian forces in the south, stating, "I won't give many details, but today, I can congratulate our army above all (...) because so far, 300 square kilometers have been liberated." He did not specify the timeframe for these gains, and AFP was unable to independently verify the information.
Military bloggers suggested that some of these gains were made possible by the recent ban preventing Russian forces from using the Starlink system on the frontlines, following Elon Musk’s announcement of "measures" to terminate such usage.
Diplomatic Efforts
On the diplomatic front, several rounds of talks have been held since the beginning of the year between envoys from Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington, though no tangible progress has been made so far.
In his daily address Saturday evening, Zelenskyy—who is under intense pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to accept concessions—asserted his intention to ensure that ongoing negotiations yield "results for peace."
"Ukraine will do everything necessary and will not stand in the way of peace," he said, adding that he plans to consult with European allies in the coming days and seeks to involve Middle Eastern countries and Turkey more deeply in the process.
On Tuesday, marking the start of the war's fifth year, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair a video conference of the "Coalition of the Willing" to support Ukraine. Zelenskyy and several European leaders will participate from Kyiv during a scheduled visit. As of now, it appears the United States will not be part of this specific meeting.
