Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: During the continuing war in Ukraine and rising tensions on the battlefield, Washington seems to be trying to use quieter diplomatic means to end the deadlock in peace negotiations. As per reports, an American official had discussions with members of the Kremlin during a visit to Russia, fueling speculation about whether efforts behind the scenes could revive the stalled negotiations.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: US hopes official’s ‘quiet talks’ with Kremlin can break war’s diplomatic deadlock
The US official overseeing Donald Trump’s controversial White House ballroom project held talks with Kremlin officials this summer, the Financial Times reports.
Rodney Mims Cook Jr, chair of the US Commission of Fine Arts, attended extensive briefings and was given a diplomatic passport.
He attended the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June – an event dubbed “Vladimir Putin’s Davos” – and met Kremlin officials while also being assigned a diplomatic security detail.
Cook presented his trip as a “cultural visit”, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was “not aware” of the delegation’s visit.
However, the report said the US is hoping envoys like Cook can help break the diplomatic deadlock over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Zelenskyy vows response to ‘tragedy’ caused by Russian strike
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned Russia’s “brutal attack” in Kharkiv, where at least 10 people have been killed.
He said first responders have already extinguished the fire, and emergency services are working at the site.
“All the circumstances of this tragedy are being established,” he wrote in a post on social media.
“We will definitely respond to this Russian strike. And it is equally important that our partners also complement our just kinetic responses with their own actions to put pressure on Russia and support Ukraine.”
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: North Korean troops fighting to drive ‘Ukrainian Nazi clique’ out of Kursk, Lavrov says
Russia’s foreign minister has told his North Korean counterpart the two countries are working to establish a “new and righteous world order”.
Sergei Lavrov told Choe Son Hui that troops deployed by Pyongyang are fighting to drive the “Ukrainian Nazi clique” out of the Kursk region, in comments reported by state news agency KCNA.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: At least 10 killed in Russian strike on Kharkiv
An update to bring you from the battlefront – a Russian missile strike has killed 10 people in Kharkiv, the regional governor said.
Another eight people have been injured and are being treated, Oleg Synegubov said.
At least 10 private homes were damaged in the attack, as well as a cafe, a post office, a shop and at least seven cars.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Buildings burn and woman injured as Russian drone hits Ukrainian district
These are the latest pictures reaching us from Ukraine this morning, where a 59-year-old woman has been injured in Russian attacks.
Ukraine’s state emergency service said two outbuildings caught fire after being struck by a drone in the Koryukiv district in the Chernihiv Oblast.
A crane and a warehouse were also damaged in the attack.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Russia downed 180 drones in Moscow region overnight, city’s mayor says
Russia downed 180 drones in the Moscow region overnight on Monday, the city’s mayor has said.
In a post on Telegram, Sergei Sobyanin said that a total of 620 drones had been heading for the capital between Monday evening and the early hours of Tuesday morning.
A warehouse of Russian retail giant Wildberries, which Ukraine has previously accused of handling military goods, was hit in the attack, according to regional governor Andrei Vorobyov.
It comes after officials said at least nine people were killed in the latest wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine earlier this week, which also left more than 40 people injured.
