Five people killed as Russia continues to pummel Ukrainian cities

Five people were killed and 11 others were injured as Russia continues to pummel Ukrainian cities, despite Friday’s Alaska Summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, in which they came to an “understanding” on ending the war.

Ukraine’s Air Forces say the Kremlin launched a ballistic missile and a barrage of more than 60 Iranian-made Shahed drones and decoy drones overnight into Sunday.

Ukrainian air defence personnel say Kyiv has successfully shot down or suppressed over 40 drones aerially, which were targeting various positions, mainly civilian, in the country’s north and east.

Five people were killed in Donetsk in the eastern Donbas region as Russia intensifies it offensive in the region.

Two people were killed in Russian shelling of Raihorodok, another two were killed in Sviatohorivka and another civilian was killed in Kostiantynivka.

At least four others were injured across the region over the past day according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

The Donbas has been the flashpoint of Russian attacks since Moscow’s first invasion of 2014 and then Russia’s full-out war since February 2022.

More than 30 settlements were targeted in Kherson as Russian forces carried out drone and artillery strikes. Regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin says two people were injured in the strikes. Two houses and a vehicle were also damaged in the attacks.

Five others were injured in attacks on Kharkiv, which targeted several villages with an array of missiles, drones and guided bombs. Officials say the wounded were transferred to local hospitals to receive treatment.

Many homes sustained damage in those attacks across areas like Vilshany, Prykolotne and Nova Kozacha. Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syrniehubov says all of the targets Moscow struck were civilian in nature.

The attacks come as global pressure mounts on Russia to end its invasion, well into its fourth year, and come to the negotiating table.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to participate in a virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The conference, taking place via video link, comes on the eve of Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington. On Monday, Zelenskyy is set to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump in the White House to discuss the latest in the ongoing peace efforts.

It’s the Ukrainian leader’s first visit to the White House since February, a meeting in the Oval Office which ended in controversy as Trump and Vice President JD Vance proceeded to berate Zelenskyy in front of reporters.

Zelenskyy’s visit, announced on Saturday, comes just days after Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, which produced no ceasefire agreement, but according to both leaders, brought an understanding of what Russia requires to end its assault.

Trump says he wants to arrange a trilateral summit between himself, Putin and Zelenskyy, in what would be the warring leaders’ first face-to-face meeting, to “finally end this war”.