Russia and Ukraine exchange strikes ahead of US envoy peace visits

Cross-border military strikes between Russia and Ukraine persisted overnight despite scheduled diplomatic visits by United States envoys to both nations this weekend. Russian bombardments targeted Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, resulting in civilian casualties, while Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery along with locations in Belgorod and Sochi. European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned a Russian strike near the Polish border as an attempt to divide European allies.

The escalations occur as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travels to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Responding to claims by Donald Trump that both nations agreed to halt energy grid strikes, Zelenskyy stated Ukraine would refrain from targeting Russian energy sites only if Western allies guarantee that Moscow stops attacking Ukrainian infrastructure, food supply routes, and power networks.

Sources: Avaz, Beta, CDM, N1, Vijesti