Air-raid sirens in almost all regions of Ukraine, new bombings and attempts to revive diplomacy characterize the 25th day of the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine.
A bomb allegedly hit the building of an art school where 400 people had taken refuge. In addition, Russia hit Ukraine with cruise missiles from ships in the Black and Caspian Seas. This was reported by the Interfax news agency. Russian authorities also said they used a hypersonic missile for the second consecutive day. While at least 266 civilians have been killed in the clashes in the Kharkiv region, in northeastern Ukraine, since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
Meanwhile, Turkey is trying to relaunch its role and diplomatic efforts. Ankara offers to host a trilateral summit between the Russian presidents, Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian, Volodymyr Zelensky, and Turkish, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to report on Sunday morning by the Russian agency Tass, which cites an interview with the Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu to the Hurriyet newspaper. “If peace is reached, (the three presidents) will certainly meet”, adding that the Russian and Ukrainian leaders “do not rule out this possibility at all” nor that the meeting can take place in Turkey. Ankara – says Cavusoglu, according to Tass reports – “wants to hold the trilateral summit”, which can be convened “at the request of two of the leaders”.
Zelensky, internal crackdown
In a new video speech to the nation, Zelensky claimed that his people are “proving they can fight more professionally than an army” and condemned Russian “war crimes” in Mariupol. In the afternoon Zelensky will speak to Israel on video. In addition, seven humanitarian corridors are open for today: evacuation from the city of Mariupol to the city of Zaporizhzhia is expected in the Donetsk region.
Internally, the Ukrainian president announced that the activity of 11 Ukrainian political parties, some of which would have direct links with Moscow, will be limited and brought under control. It can be read in various media, including BBC. Zelensky says this in the video posted overnight, in which he lists them by name. Among them the Opposition Platform – For Life, one of the major pro-Russian parties represented in the Kiev parliament. Zelensky said the Ministry of Justice would immediately implement the restrictions, which will remain in place as long as martial law lasts.