Moscow [Russia], August 4: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes to put Russia under such pressure by autumn that it will agree to an end to the war. He told a gathering of Ukrainian ambassadors in Kiev on Monday that it was impossible to predict exactly when this would happen.
Ukrainian medium- and long-range drone strikes, international sanctions and diplomatic efforts must work together "to leave Russia with no alternative but peace", he said. "We will work very hard to make that happen this fall," he added.
At the same time, however, Zelensky was preparing for another winter of war. He tasked his country's diplomats with organizing the necessary technical support and weapons from foreign partners. "Every ambassador must secure weapons for Ukraine." He cited the joint development of the Freyja missile defence system with European partners as an important international project for Ukraine.
Zelensky accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of delaying an end to the war and preparing for a further mobilization. Even after almost four and a half years of large-scale invasion, there are no signs that the Kremlin is backing down from its war aims, he said. By contrast, many observers assume that the parliamentary elections in Russia in mid-September could be followed by a further wave of mobilization.
At the end of June, the Ukrainian President had announced a 40-day phase of intelligence operations aimed at persuading Russia to move towards peace.
This period included the spectacular attacks on logistics centres belonging to the Russian online retailer Wildberries. The 40 days come to an end on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, at least 14 people have been killed in Russia and three in Ukraine, according to local officials from each side, as both countries continue to exchange attacks.
Veniamin Kondratyev, the governor of Russia's southern region of Krasnodar, said at least six people were killed and 40 wounded by falling drone debris after a Ukrainian attack on the Black Sea resort city of Gelendzhik on Monday.
His statement on Telegram came hours after the Moscow-installed governor of Russian-occupied Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said four people were killed and two wounded in a Ukrainian attack overnight, without giving further details.
In Ukraine, at least three people were killed in a Russian attack on a gas station in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which has been repeatedly attacked during the war, now in its fifth year.
In a post on Telegram, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha said a fire broke out as a result of the attack, damaging the gas station and nearby vehicles.
Civilian deaths have increased in recent months, although both sides deny targeting civilians.
Also on Monday, Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had captured the settlements of Bilyi Kolodiaz and Uspenivka in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine.
In the latest Ukrainian attack on the Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries, a drone struck a warehouse in the village of Khryastovo in eastern Russia's Vladimir region.
Source: Qatar Tribune
