Russian Strikes on Kyiv Region Enter Sixth Day, Killing Nine

Deadly Sixth Day of Strikes on Kyiv

Russian air attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region entered their sixth consecutive day on Tuesday, killing nine people and injuring more than a dozen, according to Ukrainian authorities. The repeated strikes have intensified pressure on the capital, disrupting the daily lives of millions of people.

In Kyiv, eight people were killed and five wounded, including three children, with fires breaking out at several locations across the capital, emergency services said on the Telegram messaging app. In Boryspil, in the wider Kyiv region, one person was killed and nine injured, including a child, after missiles and drones damaged an apartment building and a business facility, Governor Tymur Tkachenko said on Telegram.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv, a Reuters witness said. Air raid alerts covered most of Ukraine's territory in the early hours of Tuesday.

The attacks have also extended beyond the capital. A Russian strike on Tuesday disrupted border crossings into Romania, a NATO and European Union member, at Orlivka on the Danube River, according to reports. Russia has been increasing attacks on Ukraine's borders, in addition to energy and logistics facilities.

Cross-Border Escalation

The conflict has also seen continued attacks inside Russia. A Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire in the port area of Ust-Luga, a major export outlet on the Baltic Sea, and Moscow reported efforts to repel drones. In Russia's Samara region, home to several major oil refineries, an air attack damaged civilian facilities, the regional governor said on Telegram.

Moscow shot down over a dozen drones heading in its direction, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram, as Ukraine continues to retaliate on the Russian capital and regions deeper inside the country to force the Kremlin to end its four-and-a-half-year invasion.

Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians. Reuters could not independently verify the damage reports.

NATO has also been drawn into the response. The NATO Baltic air policing mission activated fighter jets in Latvia, and Finland restricted air and maritime traffic close to Russia, armed forces of both countries said separately. Estonia also briefly issued an air threat alert after drones flew close to its border and briefly entered its airspace, according to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who said the alliance had reacted "swiftly and exactly as planned."

Diplomatic Efforts Continue

Despite the escalation, diplomatic efforts to end the war, now in its fourth year since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, have continued. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday he held a "detailed and constructive" call with S. President Donald Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and that the sides were working to finalise dates for their visit to Ukraine aimed at advancing peace efforts.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the war needed to end for humanity's sake, and Putin responded that Moscow was continuing to move along that path.

European Union defense ministers are meeting in Ireland to discuss the "hybrid" threat from Moscow and focus on Ukraine air defenses and military support, as reported by Deutsche Welle.