On July 31, an official day of mourning was declared in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, in memory of those killed in a Russian missile strike. This was reported by official Ukrainian sources.
According to the State Emergency Service, the strike claimed the lives of 31 people, including 5 children. Another 159 people were injured.
The attack on Kyiv has been described as one of the deadliest since 2022. The Ukrainian government called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
President Volodymyr Zelensky posted the following message on social media:
“Russia’s war crimes cannot be justified. We will never forget or forgive the killing of our citizens and these brutal strikes. This attack took 31 lives, and 159 were wounded. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not comment on the incident during a press conference on Valaam Island, but while discussing the prospects of ending hostilities in Ukraine, he emphasized the need for “lasting and indefinite peace.”
Putin also mentioned the importance of “basic arrangements that guarantee the security of both Russia and Ukraine.”
In response, Zelensky called on the international community to strengthen sanctions against Russia. According to him, in July alone, Russia launched over 5,100 aerial bombs, more than 3,800 “Shaheed” drones, and about 260 missiles, including 128 ballistic missiles, against Ukraine.
“If Russia’s latest statements are not aimed at stalling or delaying sanctions but are a serious signal of readiness to end the war and establish real peace, then Ukraine once again confirms its readiness to meet at the leadership level,” Zelensky wrote.
It is worth noting that three rounds of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations were recently held in Istanbul. However, the only concrete outcome was an agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war, with no consensus reached on other issues.
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