The E.U. Mission and British Council buildings in Kyiv were damaged on Thursday after Russia launched a deadly drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital.
According to the head of Kyiv’s Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, the strikes killed at least 15 people, including four children.
U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the “senseless” strikes and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging hopes of peace.”
“Putin is killing children and civilians… the bloodshed must end,” he implored.
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy echoed Starmer’s stance and announced they “have summoned the Russian Ambassador.”
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the E.U. Commission, condemned the attacks that struck the E.U. delegation for the first time.
“Another night of Russia’s relentless bombings struck civilian infrastructure and killed innocents… Russia must stop its indiscriminatory attacks on civilian infrastructure immediately and join negotiations for a just and lasting peace,” she said, confirming that the E.U. mission staff were safe.
President of the European Council António Costa said he was “horrified” by the assault and insisted the “E.U. will not be intimidated.”
“Russia’s aggression only strengthens our resolve to stand with Ukraine and its people,” he vowed.
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The British Council in Ukraine confirmed that its offices had “suffered significant damage” as a result of the strikes. It will be closed until further notice.
TIME has reached out to the British Council for further comment.
According to an update shared by Ukraine’s Air Force on Thursday morning, Russia launched around 598 strike drones into Ukraine overnight into the early hours of the morning, as well as 31 missiles of varying types from launch sites in Kursk and Crimea, amongst other locations.
Tkachenko said that there was “significant damage to residential buildings in the Darnytsia and Dnipro districts,” including a five-story residential block in Darnytsia that had been destroyed with “a direct hit.”
Search and rescue operations continue in the Darnytsia district in the west of the city.
In response to the barrage of strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his calls for stronger sanctions to be placed on Russia.
“It is crucial now that the world responds firmly. Russia must stop this war it started and continues. For the spurning of cease-fire and for the constant Russian attempts to weasel out of negotiations, new strong sanctions are needed,” said Zelensky.
The Russian Ministry of Defence said that it had struck targets “within Ukraine’s military-industrial complex” and that “all designated objects were hit,” according to the Associated Press.
The Ministry has also stated that it had intercepted and destroyed 102 Ukrainian drones within Russia overnight, according to state media, with Yury Slyusar, acting Governor of the Rostov Region, stating that 21 drones had been destroyed in the Samara and Rostov regions, with 89 residents reportedly evacuated due to the “threat of detonation.”
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Russia’s fervent strikes against Ukraine come after U.S. President Donald Trump met with Putin in Alaska for a “high-stakes” summit earlier this month.
The meeting served as the first in-person encounter between Trump and Putin since 2019, and was intended to foster discussions about a path toward a potential cease-fire, but it ended earlier than expected and, notably, without a deal being reached.
Trump has since met with Zelensky and key European leaders, including Starmer, at the White House to discuss possible steps forward.
Meanwhile, Zelensky’s European allies stand ready to “increase pressure” on Russia.
“We do stand ready to increase pressure on Russia, particularly the economy, with sanctions and wider measures as may be necessary,” Starmer said in mid-August. “It’s important we all continue to work alongside Presidents Trump and Zelensky for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
The post European Leaders Condemn Putin’s ‘Bloodshed’ After Russia Strikes Kyiv’s E.U. Mission and British Council Buildings appeared first on TIME.
