From Krasnodar to Kharkiv: Attacks kill civilians as peace diplomacy drags on; two children killed at a daycare

A drone attack on a private daycare in Krasnodar, southern Russia, killed two children and injured nine people. Seven of those injured were also children, regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.

Victims were also reported in Ukraine, where a Russian strike on the outskirts of Kharkiv killed three people. The attacks came as the war continues and Ukraine marks the 35th anniversary of its declaration of independence.

The Declaration of Independence was made on August 24, 1991, when the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament at the time, adopted the Act of Independence and declared the creation of a sovereign and independent state following the failed coup in Moscow.

On December 1, 1991, the decision was reinforced by a national referendum, in which 90.32% of voters voted in favor of independence.

This is the fifth Independence Day that Ukraine has celebrated since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Activities and commemorative ceremonies have been organized throughout Ukraine, as well as in Ukrainian communities abroad, to mark the national holiday.

On the diplomatic front, a visit to Moscow by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, has been postponed.

TASS reported, citing a source, that the trip is not expected to take place before the end of August. Earlier reports suggested that Witkoff and Kushner could travel to Kyiv and Moscow by the end of the month.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that President Vladimir Putin is ready to hold another meeting with representatives of the U.S. president. According to Lavrov, the main question concerns the proposals they will present in Moscow.

Meanwhile, the “Coalition of the Willing,” a grouping of European countries that support Ukraine, is expected to meet in Ukraine on Monday.

Kyiv seeks to secure new military aid, primarily air-defense systems, as well as stronger pressure measures against Moscow, while Russian attacks have caused a large number of civilian casualties.

The United Kingdom, France and Germany will co-chair the meeting. European Council President Antonio Costa is also expected to attend, while several other leaders will join via videoconference.

The meeting comes at a time when the conflict is escalating and diplomatic efforts to end the war continue.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine, in cooperation with its American and European partners, has prepared a plan to end the war. He said the plan calls for a ceasefire, the creation of a free economic zone and the withdrawal of troops.

According to Zelensky, these proposals were drawn up after talks between Ukraine, the United States and European countries, while negotiations continue in search of a solution to the conflict.