Zaporizhzhia hit by second attack in 24 hours: three dead
The city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, was attacked again, resulting in the deaths of three people, including a 20-year-old woman, as reported by regional governor Ivan Fedorov.
At least 12 people were injured in the aftermath of the attack. Several high-rise buildings and houses caught fire following the attack, as reported by The Kyiv Independent.
The rescue operation was completed around 1:00 AM local time. This marks the second attack on Zaporizhzhia in the past 24 hours.
On the evening of March 20, Russia targeted the outskirts of the city with guided air bombs, injuring six people, including a four-year-old boy.
Zaporizhzhia, home to approximately 710,000 residents before Russia’s large-scale invasion in 2022, is often targeted by Russian forces.
The Zaporizhzhia region is also home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian control since 2022 and has played a key role in recent peace talks between Ukraine and the U.S.
It is worth mentioning that Ukraine and the U.S. reached an agreement on March 11 during negotiations in Saudi Arabia. Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Washington, which included a halt along the front line. In return, the U.S. agreed to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, which had been suspended following a dispute between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office in late February.
Following the discussions in Saudi Arabia, a U.S. delegation traveled to Moscow to negotiate a potential ceasefire with Russia, which had invaded the neighboring country three years earlier. Two days after the talks between Kyiv and Washington, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he agreed to a ceasefire in Ukraine, but with certain conditions. Putin expressed particular concern that the Ukrainian army could take advantage of this "respite" to rebuild its fighting capacity.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Putin's statements, labeling them as "manipulative." Zelensky also accused Putin of attempting to stall the response in order to prolong the war. In this context, the leader of Kyiv called for intensified pressure on Moscow.
It is worth mentioning that on Monday, March 24, the next phase of Ukraine war negotiations will be held in Saudi Arabia. The delegations of the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine will discuss the issue of a partial ceasefire, but in separate bilateral meetings.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
