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Ukraine war: Four dead as Russia launches new attack on cities Ukraine war: Zelensky visits ruined frontline city of Bakhmut
(about 2 hours later)
Several people were missing after the attack on residential buildings in Rzhyshchiv Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited the frontline city of Bakhmut where fierce fighting rages on.
Russian forces have attacked several Ukrainian cities, killing at least four people in a drone strike on a residential area of Kyiv region. The beleaguered city has become a focal point of the war, with Russia trying to capture it for months.
Upper floors of two student dormitories were hit early on Wednesday in the city of Rzhyshchiv, on the outskirts of the capital. The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Ukrainian forces recently launched a counter-attack to the west of the city.
An 11-year-old was among the wounded, rescue services said. Mr Zelensky's visit comes after Russian forces attacked Ukrainian cities overnight, killing at least four people in a drone strike near the capital.
Separately, officials in Russian-annexed Crimea said a Ukrainian drone attack on their fleet were repulsed. In a statement, the presidential office says Mr Zelensky spoke to servicemen at the frontline positions of his military in Bakhmut and thanked them for their efforts to defend Ukraine.
Explosions were reported by residents in the port city of Sevastopol. "I am honoured to be here today," the Ukrainian president told his servicemen, "in the east of our country, in Donbas, and to award our heroes, to thank you, to shake your hands."
The head of Russia's occupation authority Mikhail Razvozhaev said three "objects" targeting the Black Sea Fleet had been destroyed and Russian warships were not damaged. Bakhmut lies in ruins. For more than seven months, it has witnessed fierce fighting as Russian forces try to make territorial gains to please the Kremlin.
There was no comment from Ukraine's military, which said earlier this week it had destroyed missiles destined for the fleet at a rail hub in Dzhankoi in northern Crimea. Why Bakhmut matters for Russia and Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched more than 20 "killer drones", as well as missiles and shells. The MoD said the counter-attack to the west of Bakhmut was likely to relieve pressure on the main Ukrainian supply route to the city.
Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping's departure from Russia hours earlier, he said that every time "someone tries to hear the word 'peace' in Moscow", another order was given to launch attacks. "Fighting continues around the town centre and the Ukrainian defence remains at risk from envelopment from the north and south," the statement added.
Watch: Putin and Xi's 'Dear friendship'... in 62 seconds "However, there is a realistic possibility that the Russian assault on the town is losing the limited momentum it had obtained, partially because some Russian [military] units have been reallocated to other sectors."
Watch: Putin and Xi's 'Dear friendship'... in 62 seconds Earlier, Mr Zelensky said Moscow had launched more than 20 "killer drones", as well as missiles and shells.
Drone strikes on a residential area of Kyiv region hit upper floors of two student dormitories in the city of Rzhyshchiv. An 11-year-old was among the wounded, rescue services said.
Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping's departure from Russia hours earlier, the Ukrainian leader said that every time "someone tries to hear the word 'peace' in Moscow", another order was given to launch attacks.
On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin said that many provisions of a 12-point Chinese peace plan "can be taken as the basis for [the] settling of the conflict in Ukraine, whenever the West and Kyiv are ready for it".On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin said that many provisions of a 12-point Chinese peace plan "can be taken as the basis for [the] settling of the conflict in Ukraine, whenever the West and Kyiv are ready for it".
The plan makes no specific proposals and does not call explicitly for Russian forces to leave Ukraine's sovereign territory.The plan makes no specific proposals and does not call explicitly for Russian forces to leave Ukraine's sovereign territory.
End of Ukraine war no closer after Putin-Xi talks Watch: Putin and Xi's 'Dear friendship'... in 62 seconds
Watch: Putin and Xi's 'Dear friendship'... in 62 seconds
Ukraine's state emergency service said at least four people were missing in the rubble of the dormitory buildings hit by Russian drones in Rzhyshchiv. A three-floor high school building was also hit.Ukraine's state emergency service said at least four people were missing in the rubble of the dormitory buildings hit by Russian drones in Rzhyshchiv. A three-floor high school building was also hit.
In a separate Russian attack, three people were wounded in the southern city of Odesa, when a three-storey building was hit in the grounds of a monastery, presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said.In a separate Russian attack, three people were wounded in the southern city of Odesa, when a three-storey building was hit in the grounds of a monastery, presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said.
Drones were also fired at the north-western region of Zhytomyr, but no-one was reported hurt. Ukraine's military said 16 of the 21 drones launched on Wednesday from the Bryansk region of Russia north of Ukraine's border were shot down. Drones were also fired at the north-western region of Zhytomyr, but no-one was reported hurt. Ukraine's military said 16 of the 21 drones launched on Wednesday from the Bryansk region of Russia, north of Ukraine's border, were shot down.
Air raid sirens rang out across Ukraine hours afterwards, amid reports that Russian warplanes carrying long-range missiles had taken to the air.Air raid sirens rang out across Ukraine hours afterwards, amid reports that Russian warplanes carrying long-range missiles had taken to the air.
In another development, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) says Ukrainian forces have recently launched a counter-attack to the west of the beleaguered city of Bakhmut, which Moscow has been trying to capture for months in a grinding war of attrition. Separately, officials in Russian-annexed Crimea said a Ukrainian drone attack on their fleet were repulsed.
The MoD said this was likely to relieve pressure on the main Ukrainian supply route to the city. Explosions were reported by residents in the port city of Sevastopol.
"Fighting continues around the town centre and the Ukrainian defence remains at risk from envelopment from the north and south," the statement added. The head of Russia's occupation authority Mikhail Razvozhaev said three "objects" targeting the Black Sea Fleet had been destroyed and Russian warships were not damaged.
"However, there is a realistic possibility that the Russian assault on the town is losing the limited momentum it had obtained, partially because some Russian [military] units have been reallocated to other sectors." There was no comment from Ukraine's military, which said earlier this week it had destroyed missiles destined for the fleet at a rail hub in Dzhankoi in northern Crimea.
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