At least 31 civilians killed, including a child, and 135 injured in a Russian attack in Kiev
Trump says he's "prepared" to impose sanctions if Putin doesn't sign a ceasefire with Ukraine by August 8.
BarcelonaAt least 31 civilians were killed, including a 6-year-old boy, and 135 others were injured in a massive Russian attack on Kiev early this morning, according to the local governor. The attack affected 27 sites in the four districts of the Ukrainian capital, including schools, residential buildings, and railway infrastructure. Moscow launched 300 drones and eight missiles into Ukrainian territory, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klychko reported that 11 children were among the injured, the highest number since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a single attack on Kiev.
Ukrainian authorities have deployed more than 1,200 personnel for rescue efforts following the attacks. "The world is once again seeing Russia's response to our desire for peace, shared by the United States and Europe," Zelensky said, adding: "To force Moscow to make peace, to truly bring them to the negotiating table, we need all the tools our partners have at their disposal."
This morning's attack is Vladimir Putin's response, which ignores Donald Trump's ten-day ultimatum to reach a ceasefire under the threat of imposing 100% tariffs and secondary sanctions on countries like China that continue to buy gas and oil from Russia, bypassing international sanctions. Although Trump had initially spoken of 50 days, he shortened the deadline due to the lack of progress on the ground. This Thursday, the US leader reiterated that he is "running out of patience" with Putin—just as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday—and said he is giving Moscow and Kiev until August 8 to agree to a ceasefire. "Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and a lasting peace. It is time to reach an agreement. President Trump has made it clear that this must be done by August 8. The United States is prepared to implement additional measures to ensure peace," said John Kelly, a senior US diplomat.
Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Poliansky, responded that Moscow "intends to continue negotiations in Istanbul," but criticized the West for being biased toward the war: "We continue to hear voices from those who think that diplomacy is just a form of criticism."
However, the strategy of ignoring Trump's ultimatum could end up taking its toll on Putin. Reuters reported Thursday that India stopped buying oil from Moscow this week, coinciding with Trump's new ultimatum. Instead, the country's state-owned refineries have obtained these supplies from countries in the Middle East. New Delhi, the world's third-largest oil importer, is also the largest buyer of Russian crude oil by sea. Therefore, the revenue from these exports is vital for the Kremlin, which can reinvest it in the war it is waging in Ukraine.
Precisely on the Ukrainian front, Russia maintains that it is making progress. This Thursday, its troops took the town of Chasiv Iar, in the Donetsk region, after more than a year of fighting to control it in this disputed area of eastern Ukraine. The battle for this town, which had about 12,000 inhabitants before the war, began in April 2024, and six months ago, Russian troops already controlled 90%. According to the Russian military command, the town and its surroundings had become a "highly fortified" area. This conquest threatens the Ukrainian town of Kostiantinivka, located 5 kilometers away and key to defending Kramatorsk and Sloviansk from the south, the main Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region.
Anti-corruption law
On the other hand, the Ukrainian Parliament approved this Thursday a bill presented by President Zelensky for restore the autonomy of the two anti-corruption agencies affected by a controversial legal reform that has been widely criticized by Western partners and civil society. Zelensky signed the bill after the chamber—where his Servant of the People party holds an absolute majority—approved it by 331 votes to 0, saying it "guarantees the absence of any kind of external influence or interference." This law reverses a previous text, approved on July 22, which provided for placing the National Anti-Corruption Agency (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) directly under the authority of the prosecutor general, chosen by the president.
After days of numerous demonstrations and criticism for a lack of independence at home and abroad, Zelensky reversed himself, and the agencies concerned have applauded the bill to counter the reform.