Following Chinese President Xi Jinping's show of solidarity during his visit to Russia, Ukraine faced a devastating wave of missile and drone attacks by Russia, which targeted residential areas and claimed lives.
A missile strike on an apartment block in Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukraine, was caught on a security camera, which President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shared on Twitter. Reuters confirmed the footage, capturing firefighters attempting to extinguish the blazing ruins. At least one person died, and 25 others were injured in the attack.
Zelenskiy emphasized the need for global unity and determination to combat Russian aggression, stating, "This must not become 'just another day' in Ukraine or anywhere else in the world." In Rzhyshchiv, south of the capital, a drone strike on two college dormitories resulted in at least four deaths, with more people trapped under the rubble. Over 100 workers and 28 vehicles were deployed to the scene to search for survivors.
Ukraine's military reported shooting down 16 of 21 Iranian-made Shahed suicide drones, which targeted northern Ukraine and the capital. Zelenskiy appeared to link these attacks to Xi's visit to Moscow, remarking, "Every time someone tries to hear the word 'peace' in Moscow, another order is given there for such criminal strikes."
As Zelenskiy visited troops near the front line, he presented soldiers with medals near Bakhmut, the site of Europe's deadliest infantry battle since World War II. Meanwhile, Putin hosted Xi in Moscow, marking his most significant diplomatic move since initiating the war a year ago, which led to Russia's isolation from the West. The two leaders addressed each other as close friends, vowed to pursue economic cooperation, denounced the West, and declared their countries' relations to be at their strongest.
A statement released by China mentioned that both leaders "shared the view that this relationship has gone far beyond the bilateral scope and acquired critical importance for the global landscape and the future of humanity." As Xi left, he told Putin, "Now there are changes that haven't happened in 100 years. When we are together, we drive these changes."
Putin concurred, and Xi responded, "Take care of yourself, dear friend, please." However, public statements during Xi's visit lacked specific details, and he remained mostly silent about the war in Ukraine, merely stating that China's stance was "impartial."
The White House called on Beijing to pressure Russia into withdrawing from Ukraine and criticized the timing of Xi's trip, which came shortly after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin on war crimes charges. Both Beijing and Moscow have rejected these charges.
