As Russia intensifies drone and missile strikes on Kyiv, a battle over history is testing Ukraine's chances of ending the conflict, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Russia has again stepped up air attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
- Frequent mass drone and missile attacks are keeping residents awake, with some strikes reaching the city centre.
- One attack during the Guardian correspondent's visit killed 27 people.
- Thousands of residents head into the metro to sleep during attacks.
- The war has continued for more than four years.
More than four years into the war, the political and diplomatic news agenda around Ukraine has come to feel cyclical, according to a Guardian correspondent reporting from Kyiv. Suggestions that a peace deal could be near are repeatedly followed by the reality that the Kremlin has shown no interest in abandoning its maximalist goals, sending observers back to the drawing board.
The immediate backdrop is a renewed intensification of Russian air attacks on the Ukrainian capital. Frequent mass drone and missile attacks are keeping Kyiv residents awake, the Guardian reports, and some strikes are now getting through to the city centre.
This marks a shift from earlier in the war, when Ukrainian air defences were usually able to repel such attacks. The change has made nights in the capital noisier and more frightening for residents.
The human toll of the renewed assault is stark. One attack during the correspondent’s visit killed 27 people, according to the Guardian, and thousands of residents now head into the metro to find somewhere safer to sleep.
Beneath the drone strikes and the talk of ceasefires, the Guardian describes a battle over history that is testing Kyiv’s chances for an end to the conflict. The report frames the coverage as part of its This Is Europe series.
Why it matters
The intensification of Russian strikes on Kyiv, including attacks now reaching the city centre, signals that a negotiated end to the war remains distant. For a general reader, the reporting underscores how deeply the conflict continues to disrupt civilian life even as ceasefire talk circulates.
Frequently asked questions
How intense are Russia's current attacks on Kyiv?
According to the Guardian, Russia has stepped up frequent mass drone and missile attacks on Kyiv, with some now getting through to the city centre, whereas Ukrainian air defences had previously usually been able to repel them.
How are Kyiv residents coping with the strikes?
The Guardian reports that nights can be noisy and scary, and thousands of residents head into the metro to get some sleep during the attacks.
How long has the war been going on?
The Guardian notes the war has continued for more than four years.