Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for tougher sanctions on Moscow after a Russian missile attack in the northern Sumy region killed at least two people on Tuesday.
According to Sumy administrator Oleg Grygorov, the city, which sits just 30 kilometers from the Russian border, was hit with five rockets Tuesday morning. The attack injured at least 20 people and damaged homes, cars and a medical facility, said Ukrainian officials.
Mr. Zelenskyy condemned the attack on Tuesday, calling for increased sanctions on Russia.
“Without global pressure — without decisive actions from the United States, Europe, and everyone in the world who has the power — Putin will not agree even to a ceasefire. Not a single day goes by without Russia striking Ukrainian cities and villages,” he posted on X. “I am grateful to everyone around the world who is promoting exactly this agenda: sanctions for aggression and the killing of people, and assistance in defending the lives of Ukrainians.”
A Ukrainian delegation is in Washington this week to discuss improving Kyiv’s defenses and bolstering sanctions against Russia. The delegation is particularly interested in a bill sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, which would impose stronger sanctions on Russia.
The strikes could be part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s directive from last month to create so-called buffer zones in the border regions. In addition to Sumy, Ukraine’s Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions have experienced increased bombing following Mr. Putin’s order.
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Russian shelling was reportedly responsible for the deaths of at least five people in the Donbas and Kharkiv regions.
This week’s rocket attacks are Russia’s first offensives since Ukraine’s massive drone attack on Sunday. The unprecedented drone swarm targeted at least four major Russian airfields. Reports indicate that the attack destroyed 40 nuclear-capable Russian bombers, accounting for around 34% of Moscow’s strategic cruise missile carriers.
Ukraine estimates that the damage caused by the attacks will cost Russia around $7 billion.
“Russia must feel what its losses mean,” Mr. Zelenskyy said following the attacks on Monday. “That is what will push it toward diplomacy.”
Ukraine also said it detonated 2,400 pounds of explosives on the Kerch Bridge, a key link between Russia and Crimea. The Ukrainian Security Service, which carried out the operation, said that the bombing seriously hurt the bridge’s foundations. However, Russian traffic across the bridge resumed after a three-hour closure.
The attacks this week will likely negatively impact the ongoing peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. The second round of peace talks between the two nations began on Monday in Istanbul but ended without a significant breakthrough.
Russia outlined its terms during the meeting, reaffirming its insistence that Crimea is a part of Russian territory and that Ukraine can never join the NATO military alliance. Russia also proposed that Ukraine cease all military deployments and halt the acceptance of foreign military aid.
Russia also reportedly offered a limited ceasefire during the Istanbul talks that would affect troops in certain areas of the frontline.
Ukraine said it would need more time to consider Russia’s peace terms and proposed further talks sometime later in June.
