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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian aerial attacks overnight and during daylight Wednesday killed two civilians and wounded six in a central Ukraine city, local officials said, while the Kyiv and Odesa regions bore the brunt of Moscow’s latest attacks.
The air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as the conflict stretches into its fifth year following Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor. The front line in eastern and southern Ukraine remains largely deadlocked, and U.S. efforts to negotiate a settlement have yet to produce a path to peace.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy exchanged threats late Tuesday over what their next steps might be.
Zelenskyy warned foreign airlines that the skies over Russia are not safe for flights because of Ukrainian long-range drone attacks, saying that “Russian airspace will effectively be closing.” The military pressure aims to compel Russia to accept peace negotiations, he said.
Putin accused Zelenskyy of “state terrorism” and said: “We don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
Putin’s comments got short shrift from Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, a government body, which said the remarks were a flagrant attempt by the Russian leader to shift the blame away from Moscow.
“A state that itself unleashed this war, that daily commits terror against Ukrainian civilians and destroys cities, is again trying to portray itself as a ‘victim,’” the center said.
Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin dismissed any travel concerns, saying that authorities are constantly strengthening flight safety.