Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
Moscow and Washington discuss the potential resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, among other issues related to the peaceful settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed to the Russian state-run Interfax news agency.
"This is a historic decision, as weapons for Ukraine will be purchased at the expense of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets through the European Peace Fund," Denys Shmyhal said.
Illustrated map of Ukraine, with Sumy Oblast noted in red. (Ruslan Maiborodin)
Russian forces shelled four communities along the Sumy Oblast border on Feb. 22, the regional military administration reported.
The communities of Bilopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Seredyna-Buda, and Svesa were targetedin 10 separate attacks.
Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, and small arms fire. The attacks caused at least 50 reported explosions in the area.
No casualties or damages were reported.
Shelling is a daily reality for the communities near Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia, with residents experience multiple attacks per day. An attack on Bilopillia, a frequently targeted settlement, injured a local resident on Feb. 20.
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
