Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said on 18 January that Russia’s morning attacks on Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia are “yet another indication that the Kremlin’s master does not want peace.”
Russia launched ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia on the morning of January 18. Three people died in the Kyiv attack. Four others suffered injuries. The strikes damaged infrastructure, including the Lukianivska metro station. In Zaporizhzhia, the attack left ten people injured.
“A very loud night across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, where at least three people were killed in a heinous Russian ballistic attack,” Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga wrote on X.
Sybiha wrote that Putin “must be forced to accept a just peace through strength—maximum economic and military pressure.”
The peace negotiations discussion has gained prominence during the US presidential campaign. Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in Ukraine or bring Zelenskyy and Putin to negotiations.
In a recent press conference, Putin publicly said that Russia aims to end the war in Ukraine by 2025. However, in the same statement, he affirmed Russia would continue military operations until achieving its goals. This contradiction has fueled skepticism about his genuine commitment to peace.
Putin’s statements about seeking peace in Ukraine face widespread doubt, as his words often conflict with Russia’s military actions on the ground.
This prospect of US pressure to negotiations which could lead to freezing the war initially raised concerns in President Zelenskyy’s office. Zelenskyy has firmly said that ceding territory to Russia is “unacceptable” for both Ukraine and Europe. This position enjoys strong public support, with approximately 84% of Ukrainians opposing territorial concessions even if it means prolonging the war.
The Air Force reported that Russia fired four Iskander-M ballistic missiles or North Korean KN-23s from Voronezh and Bryansk oblasts. Air defense intercepted two missiles. Debris fell in the capital. Fires broke out at several locations.
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