Russia-Ukraine Conflict: An Escalation Amidst Peace Efforts

In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russia bombarded Ukraine with deadly missile and drone strikes on Thursday, targeting residential areas in Kyiv and killing at least 23 people. The assault, described as one of the largest since Russia's extensive invasion began in February 2022, has further undermined peace efforts spearheaded by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Amid ongoing rescue efforts in the Ukrainian capital, international outrage swiftly followed. The European Union and Britain summoned Russian envoys to protest the strikes, which also damaged a Turkish enterprise and the Azerbaijan embassy. Despite Moscow's assertion of targeting military facilities, Kyiv officials reported relentless attacks on civilian-populated areas in recent months.

As global leaders condemned the violence, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for increased sanctions on Russia, emphasizing the continued terror tactics employed by the Kremlin. Meanwhile, U.S. officials, including special envoy Keith Kellogg, criticized the collective failure to secure peace, pointing to recent diplomatic engagements between the estranged nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)