Rising tensions: Russia escalates attacks amid Riyadh talks
Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine. A new massive strike was carried out early Sunday morning. Air raid alerts were issued across the country, and loud explosions were heard in Kyiv.
According to NEXTA, while discussions about a possible ceasefire and negotiations with Putin are ongoing, Russia is attacking Ukraine more frequently. Before February 18, there were 101 attacks per day; after this date, Moscow attacks as many as 154 times daily.
On February 18, talks were held in Riyadh, attended by delegations from the US and Russia. This was supposed to be the beginning of discussions about peace in Ukraine.
Neither Ukraine nor the European Union received invitations to the talks, which caused outrage in Kyiv and most European capitals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that he would not recognize the outcome of the talks in Riyadh because any negotiations concerning Ukraine are futile without Ukraine.
Russia's attacks on Ukraine
Three people were injured in Kyiv as a result of Russia's overnight missile attack – stated the mayor of Ukraine's capital, Vitali Klitschko, on Sunday. Local authorities reported that fires broke out in at least three districts due to the shelling.
Sirens wailed in Kyiv twice — around 2 AM local time, when the air raid alert lasted approximately 2.5 hours, and then around 5 AM local time. Explosions were also heard at those times.
Also on Sunday, the Ukrainian military reported that between Saturday night and Sunday, 13 out of 23 missiles launched by Russia and 40 out of 109 Russian drones were shot down. Moreover, communication with 53 drones was lost due to Ukrainian forces using electronic warfare measures.
Russia struck a residential district
The night before, Russians attacked Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. A missile hit a restaurant in a densely populated district, according to social media users.
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the target of the attack was a location where Ukrainian soldiers were meeting with Western instructors. The government in Kyiv emphasized that this is disinformation.
