Kyiv toll rises to 16 as wave of Russian strikes defies Trump ceasefire demand

BBC:

Sixteen people have been killed and 155 others have been wounded in a barrage of Russian drones and missiles that struck several districts of Kyiv and brought down an apartment block overnight, officials have said.

A six-year-old boy and his mother were among the dead, as more than two dozen locations across the Ukrainian capital were hit.

Ukraine’s interior ministry said two children had died and 16 were among the wounded. Kyiv’s mayor said it was the biggest number hurt in one night since the full-scale war began.

Russian attacks have continued despite US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow if Vladimir Putin does not agree to a ceasefire by 8 August.

“Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. It is time to make a deal,” acting US representative to the United Nations John Kelley told the UN Security Council on Thursday. “President Trump has made clear this must be done by 8 August.”

The high-pitched hum of Russian drones could be heard for hours over the city, interrupted by the occasional loud thunder clap of a missile strike.

Russia launched 309 drones and eight cruise missiles during the night, according to Ukraine’s air force. And although officials say air defences did manage to destroy many of them, there were numerous hits including from cruise missiles.

A red-orange glow indicated destruction on the ground.

These were the biggest airstrikes since Trump brought forward an earlier deadline to Putin. The threat of more US sanctions appears to have done little to persuade the Russian president to change course.

Meanwhile, Russia claimed further success on the battlefield, declaring that it had captured the strategically important hilltop town of Chasiv Yar in the eastern Donetsk region.

Ukraine denied it had fallen, however, and military analysts said fighting there was continuing.