Closing summary
Here is a wrap-up of today’s key events:
A Russian aerial bombardment on Ukraine has, according to officials, killed at least four people and injured dozens of others in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a “vile and brutal” attack.
Ukraine’s military said that Russia had launched 595 drones and 48 missiles overnight and its air defences shot down the overwhelming majority of both.
The main targets were Kyiv, where all of the deaths were reported to have occurred, and the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Odesa.
A falling concrete slab crushed and killed a 12-year-old girl. A nurse and a patient died when Kyiv’s cardiology institute took a direct hit. Another person was found dead under debris at a residential block, officials said (you can read more in this story).
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Russian attack caused widespread damage to a cardiology clinic, factories and residential buildings. The Ukrainian leader renewed calls on the international community to act decisively to cut off Russia’s energy revenues that fund its full-scale invasion.
“This is how Russia is making its real position known. Moscow wants to continue to fight and kill and deserves only the harshest pressure in the world,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “The Kremlin benefits from continuing this war and terror as long as there are energy funds and a shadow navy.”
Neighbouring Poland closed its airspace near two southeastern cities and its air force scrambled jets in response until the danger had passed.
Russia claimed it had hit military targets during the overnight strike on Ukraine.
Denmark will ban all civilian drone flights across the country this week to ensure security as Copenhagen hosts an EU summit gathering heads of government, the transport ministry said in a statement.
The statement came after Denmark’s army confirmed this morning that drones were observed over Danish military sites overnight for the second straight day.
Moldovans have begun voting in a pivotal parliamentary election that will decide whether Moldova, a small country wedged between Ukraine and Romania, stays on its path towards EU membership or drifts back into Moscow’s orbit, amid widespread reports of Russian meddling.
Thanks for following along today. We are now closing this blog. You can read all our Ukraine coverage here.
Updated
After the massive Russian aerial assault on his country, Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a round of calls with allies, including Nato chief Mark Rutte, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store on Sunday, AFP is reporting.
