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As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Canada for talks with leader Mark Carney, Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange fire.
At least three people were killed in Russian overnight attacks. Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported that Moscow attacked Ukraine with 149 drones overnight from Wednesday into Thursday, 128 of which were intercepted. The statement added that they had been launched from Russian cities including Kursk, Millerovo and from the temporarily occupied region of Donetsk and Hvardiiske in Crimea, striking 13 locations.
A late Russian attack on a shopping center car park in Sumy killed at least three people and injured 14 including a teenager, on Wednesday, Oleh Hryhorov, Head of Sumy Oblast Military Administration said on Telegram.
Attacks on the eastern city of Kharkiv have left at least two people injured, after a residential buildings were damaged by drones, according to the city’s mayor Ihor Terekhov.
Another large scale attack hitting residential building in the central city of Kryvyi Rih left two people in critical condition, its Head of Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, Oleksandr Vilkul said on Telegram.
Four firefighters have been hospitalised after responding to a blaze on a market in the Western city of Khmelnytskyi, sparked by fallen debris from a Russian drone attack. The firefighters were injured in a secondary explosion, officials reported.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces said that they had managed their deepest strike inside Russia, as their drones travelled 3,000 km to strike two gas condensate plants, the Novy Urengoy and Purovsky, located in one of Russia’s key oil and gas regions; the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug region.
Ukrainian media reported that Russian Telegram media channels had said Ukraine launched a drone attack on the Republic of Dagestan.
The southern coastal city of Sochi also reportedly came under attack by Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels sparking multiple fires, according to Russian authorities. Russian media said residents also reported explosions on the port Caspian sea city of Makhachkala, it is known for its handling of dry and liquid cargo, residents also reported a lack of air raid warnings.
Zelenskyy travels to Canada
As Russia and Ukraine trade fire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled to Canada on Wednesday to hold talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as he hopes to build a closer relationship with his allies.
According to a statement by Carney, Zelenskyy’s visit “will focus on shared priorities between Canada and Ukraine, including deepening defence, economic, and energy cooperation.”
Carney added:”It will also address the human cost of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and build on the strong people-to-people ties that connect our countries,” and that Canada “remains steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine’s defence, recovery, and reconstruction.”
Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, are scheduled to stay in Canada until Friday, with events in Calgary, Toronto and North Bay on the agenda, as well as a meeting with Cabinet members in Banff, Alberta.