Kyiv: Russian air strikes targeted several Ukrainian cities early on July 22, resulting in the death of one child and injuries to at least two dozen people. This attack occurred just a day before a new round of peace talks expected to take place in Turkey.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned in his late-night address on July 21 that preparations were underway for another prisoner exchange with Russia, alongside the upcoming peace talks scheduled for July 23. Zelenskyy had proposed a new series of negotiations to Moscow, following last month’s unsuccessful attempts to end the ongoing conflict. However, the Kremlin has yet to confirm the details, citing significant differences in positions between the two nations.
Russia has demanded that any peace agreement include Ukraine ceding control of four regions illegally annexed by Moscow in September 2022. Additionally, Russia insists that Ukraine abandons its NATO membership aspirations and agrees to strict limitations on its military capabilities—demands that both Ukraine and its Western allies have consistently rejected.
TASS, the Russian state news agency, reported that an unnamed source indicated the next round of discussions might occur in Turkey, potentially on July 24 or 25. In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the stalled cease-fire discussions and has issued a 50-day ultimatum to Moscow to reach an agreement, threatening more severe sanctions if no progress is made.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed calls from Zelenskyy for a face-to-face meeting, repeatedly questioning the legitimacy of Ukraine's elected leadership. Previous negotiations held in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 resulted in prisoner exchanges and the return of soldiers' remains but did not advance toward a cease-fire.
During the night of July 21-22, Russia launched strikes on the Ukrainian regions of Sumy, Odesa, and Kramatorsk. Oleksandr Honcharenko, head of the Kramatorsk military administration, reported that a boy born in 2015 was killed and five others were injured when a Russian glide bomb hit an apartment building. In Sumy, multiple apartment buildings were set ablaze during an air raid, causing injuries, while over 20 drones attacked Odesa, resulting in more than a dozen casualties, including a child.
Despite evidence suggesting otherwise, Russia continues to assert that its air strikes do not target civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian authorities, along with international bodies such as the United Nations and the European Union, have accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians, actions they claim constitute war crimes.