Russia and Ukraine Exchange Strikes: Two Killed at Moldova Border
BBC News reports that Russia and Ukraine have intensified their long-range strikes, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war. Here are the key details:
Attack at Ukrainian-Moldovan Border
- Two people were killed when Russian drones struck a border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova overnight.
- The Starokozache crossing was closed following the attack, with images showing burnt-out cars amidst debris.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the incident and called for international support to stop the aggression.
Other Strikes
- In Kyiv, a woman was killed and 14 people, including two children, were injured after a Russian drone hit a nine-storey residential building.
- In Russia, four people, including a child, were killed in Novorossiysk, a Black Sea port, due to a Ukrainian drone attack.
- Another drone strike targeted an industrial facility in Novy Urengoy, located nearly 3,000 km (1,864 miles) from Ukraine.
Moldova’s Involvement
- Moldova has increasingly become entangled in the conflict, with Prime Minister Vasile Tofan confirming that 17 drones struck Moldovan territory in August alone, more than during the entire previous year.
- He criticized those who downplay these threats and urged recognition of Russia as the aggressor.
Background
- Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
- Russia’s defence ministry claimed to have shot down 596 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Recent Diplomatic Efforts
- The strikes occurred after a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, discussing efforts to end the war.
- Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, US envoys, met with Putin in Moscow before travelling to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
