Four killed in Russian attack on Ukrainian city of Sloviansk

Ukrainian and Russian officials have reported battlefield successes in the ongoing conflict. On Tuesday, regional authorities in Ukraine confirmed that at least four people were killed and 16 others wounded in a Russian air attack on the town of Sloviansk. The governor of Sloviansk, Vadym Filashkin, stated that three guided bombs were dropped on the city.

Separately, overnight drone strikes targeted three Ukrainian cities, resulting in injuries to at least 17 people, including two children. Ukraine’s air force reported shooting down 122 out of 137 drones launched by Russia during the night.

Major-General Oleksandr Komarenko, a Ukrainian military official, stated that his forces have recently retaken nearly all the territory of the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk industrial region. He described the situation on the front line as “difficult but under control,” with heavy fighting continuing near Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine and Oleksandrivka in the south.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian forces have extended their gains in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. The Institute for the Study of War reported that recent Ukrainian counterattacks may disrupt Russia’s spring-summer 2026 offensive campaign plan.

In addition, a United Nations investigation found that the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 amount to “crimes against humanity.” The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and five other Russian officials over alleged illegal deportation of children.

Trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US are scheduled to take place next week. The next round of trilateral talks will be held in Turkiye, following previous meetings in the United Arab Emirates, Geneva, Switzerland, and Turkey last year.

Source: Al Jazeera