At least six people died in Ukraine and one in Russia after Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanged strikes on Sunday, while Moscow dismissed Germany’s calls to ease tensions in the conflict.
Russian attacks targeted areas such as Kyiv, Odesa, and Sumy, while a Ukrainian strike resulted in the death of a woman in the Russian-occupied city of Enerhodar, according to local officials.
In Kyiv, emergency responders reported a man was found dead after a Russian drone hit a non-residential building overnight.
Later on Sunday, Russian drone strikes killed another person and injured at least five others near the capital, according to regional authorities. A drone also hit a nine-story apartment building in Kyiv, injuring a woman.
In the southern region of Odesa, Russian attacks resulted in one death and two injuries, according to local officials.
A separate Russian strike using guided bombs killed a woman and a 16-year-old girl in Sumy, northern Ukraine, injuring five others.
In Enerhodar, where the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is located and under Russian control, a Ukrainian drone strike killed a civilian woman and injured two others, according to the local administration set up by Russia.
In Russia’s Belgorod region, a woman died in the hospital after being injured in a Ukrainian strike, according to regional officials.
Ongoing Strikes Amid Diplomatic Tensions
These latest attacks followed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s rejection of Germany’s calls for Moscow to de-escalate what Berlin described as dangerous tensions.
Lavrov met with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in New York on Saturday during the United Nations General Assembly. This was the first in-person meeting between the foreign ministers since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Wadephul expressed Germany’s desire to improve relations with Moscow but emphasized that this would require Russia to genuinely seek an end to the war in Ukraine.
However, Lavrov stated that the German minister merely reiterated Berlin’s condemnation of Russia and questioned the effectiveness of their dialogue.
Kyiv Reports Damage and Injuries
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russian forces struck a data center in Kyiv twice on Sunday, injuring two children and an adult.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces targeted data centers in Kyiv that were allegedly providing internet services to Ukraine’s military.
The ongoing attacks have raised concerns about the infrastructure supporting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of damaging power lines crucial for the facility.
Although the nuclear plant is not generating electricity, it requires external power to maintain cooling systems and safety functions.
The latest strikes occurred amid ongoing fighting, with no significant changes reported along the front lines, as both sides continue to use long-range missiles and drones against targets beyond the battlefield.