Russia strikes Ukraine: 23 killed; EU, British mission offices damaged
What's the story
European Union (EU) leaders have expressed their outrage over a deadly Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday. The strike killed at least 23 people, including four children, and injured dozens more. The attack also damaged the EU's delegation office and the British Council in the Ukrainian capital. "Two missiles hit within a distance of 50m of the delegation within 20 seconds," said Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission.
Presidential response
Zelensky calls for new sanctions on Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned the attack as a "deliberate choice to escalate and mock peace efforts." He reiterated his call for "new, tough sanctions" on Russia. He said the strikes also damaged a Turkish enterprise and the Azerbaijan embassy. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also slammed Russia's actions, saying it had "shown its true face again." According to Ukrainian forces, Russia launched about 600 drones and more than 30 ballistic and cruise missiles, marking the largest strike this month.
Diplomatic fallout
UK PM accuses Putin of sabotaging peace efforts
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "sabotaging hopes of peace." EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed similar sentiments, calling the attack a "deliberate choice to escalate and mock peace efforts." Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump "was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised."
Sanctions and summoning
EU plans 19th package of sanctions against Russia
On Sunday, von der Leyen announced plans for a 19th package of sanctions on Russia. She stated that existing measures have proven effective in combating Russian President Vladimir Putin's war campaign, noting that frozen Russian assets have already been moved to support Ukraine. She will visit seven EU member states bordering Russia and Belarus in the coming days. The EU is also summoning Russian diplomats in Brussels over the latest incident.