Russia Ukraine war escalation intensifies as missile strikes kill 7 in Kyiv. Zelensky urges regime change in Moscow to prevent future destabilization

Russia Ukraine war escalation reached a brutal peak overnight as Russian missile strikes claimed seven civilian lives in Kyiv, including a six-year-old boy, while President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the war will not truly end unless regime change occurs in Moscow.

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The Ukrainian air force reported that between late Wednesday and early Thursday, Russia launched over 300 drones and eight cruise missiles across the country, with Kyiv as the primary target.

One missile tore into a nine-storey apartment building, killing multiple residents and leaving a trail of devastation.

“Seven lives of Kyiv residents were taken by the Russians in their night attack,” said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration.

AFP correspondents at the scene saw rescue crews digging through smouldering rubble, scattered with personal belongings.

Zelensky, speaking at a virtual summit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Accords, said the international community must push harder to end Russian aggression.

“Even if the war ends, Moscow will continue to destabilize neighboring countries unless the regime changes,” Zelensky warned.

The deadly strikes came shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a 10-day ultimatum to Moscow to halt the war or face fresh sanctions.

Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have captured Chasiv Yar, a heavily contested town in eastern Donetsk, calling it a strategic victory. Ukrainian officials denied the claim.

“Of course, this is not true,” said Ukrainian army spokesperson Viktor Tregubov.

Chasiv Yar, once home to 12,000 people, has been largely reduced to rubble.

If confirmed, its capture could open the way for Russian forces to advance toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, key Ukrainian military hubs in Donetsk.

Following the attacks, Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiga said it was time for stronger international action.

“It’s time to make [Putin] feel the pain… It’s time to put maximum pressure on Moscow,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

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The Kremlin has yet to respond to the latest attack or Zelensky’s call for regime change. Russia continues to deny targeting civilians, despite growing evidence and mounting casualties.