Russia launched a devastating drone attack on Ukraine overnight, causing deaths, injuries and mass evacuations after Kyiv and Washington finally agreed to an historic minerals deal. At least two people were killed and 15 injured as military drones descended on the port city of Odesa, the Ukrainian emergency services said, adding that high-rise buildings, residential homes, a supermarket and a school were damaged in the attack. Ukraine's armed forces reported that Russia attacked into Thursday with five ballistic missiles and 170 drones nationwide, many of which were shot down.

Russia launched a devastating drone attack on Ukraine overnight, causing deaths, injuries and mass evacuations after Kyiv and Washington finally agreed to an historic minerals deal. At least two people were killed and 15 injured as military drones descended on the port city of Odesa, the Ukrainian emergency services said, adding that high-rise buildings, residential homes, a supermarket and a school were damaged in the attack. Ukraine’s armed forces reported that Russia attacked into Thursday with five ballistic missiles and 170 drones nationwide, many of which were shot down.

Explosions were heard in the city of Sumy and air raid warnings were triggered in several places including Sumy, Kyiv, Kharkiv , Chernihiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia. Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky , reacted to the news by calling for a 'complete ceasefire' early Thursday in a post on Telegram. 'We must push for it together with the US,' he wrote. The strike came as the United States and Ukraine on Wednesday signed a minerals deal in Washington that US President Donald Trump's administration called a new form of US commitment to Kyiv after the end of military aid.

Explosions were heard in the city of Sumy and air raid warnings were triggered in several places including Sumy, Kyiv, Kharkiv , Chernihiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia. Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky , reacted to the news by calling for a ‘complete ceasefire’ early Thursday in a post on Telegram. ‘We must push for it together with the US,’ he wrote. The strike came as the United States and Ukraine on Wednesday signed a minerals deal in Washington that US President Donald Trump’s administration called a new form of US commitment to Kyiv after the end of military aid.

Ukraine has accepted the minerals accord as a way to secure long-term investment from the United States, as Trump aims to drastically scale back US security commitments around the world. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev painted the deal as a concession, saying Trump has 'finally broken the Kyiv regime into paying for American aid'. But the American statement on the deal notably bore a tougher line than usual in condemning Russian aggression, assuring that no supporters of the 'Russian war machine' would be allowed to benefit from their investment in Ukraine.

Ukraine has accepted the minerals accord as a way to secure long-term investment from the United States, as Trump aims to drastically scale back US security commitments around the world. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev painted the deal as a concession, saying Trump has ‘finally broken the Kyiv regime into paying for American aid’. But the American statement on the deal notably bore a tougher line than usual in condemning Russian aggression, assuring that no supporters of the ‘Russian war machine’ would be allowed to benefit from their investment in Ukraine.

Announcing the deal in Washington, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it showed 'both sides' commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.' 'This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine over the long term,' Bessent said. 'And to be clear, no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.'

Announcing the deal in Washington, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it showed ‘both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.’ ‘This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine over the long term,’ Bessent said. ‘And to be clear, no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.’

The Treasury statement notably mentioned Russia's 'full-scale invasion' of Ukraine - diverging from the Trump administration's usual formulation of a 'conflict' for which Kyiv bears a large degree of responsibility. In Kyiv, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said the agreement was 'good, equal and beneficial.' Shmygal said the two countries would establish a Reconstruction Investment Fund with each side having equal voting rights and Ukraine would retain 'full control over its subsoil, infrastructure and natural resources.'

The Treasury statement notably mentioned Russia’s ‘full-scale invasion’ of Ukraine – diverging from the Trump administration’s usual formulation of a ‘conflict’ for which Kyiv bears a large degree of responsibility. In Kyiv, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said the agreement was ‘good, equal and beneficial.’ Shmygal said the two countries would establish a Reconstruction Investment Fund with each side having equal voting rights and Ukraine would retain ‘full control over its subsoil, infrastructure and natural resources.’

Meeting a key concern for Kyiv, he said Ukraine would not be asked to pay back any 'debt' for billions of dollars in US support since Russia invaded in February 2022. 'The fund's profits will be reinvested exclusively in Ukraine,' he said. Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the deal would finance mineral and oil and gas projects as well as 'related infrastructure or processing.' Trump had originally sought $500 billion in mineral wealth - around four times what the United States has contributed to Ukraine since the war. Trump has balked at offering security guarantees to Ukraine and has rejected its aspiration to join NATO.

Meeting a key concern for Kyiv, he said Ukraine would not be asked to pay back any ‘debt’ for billions of dollars in US support since Russia invaded in February 2022. ‘The fund’s profits will be reinvested exclusively in Ukraine,’ he said. Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the deal would finance mineral and oil and gas projects as well as ‘related infrastructure or processing.’ Trump had originally sought $500 billion in mineral wealth – around four times what the United States has contributed to Ukraine since the war. Trump has balked at offering security guarantees to Ukraine and has rejected its aspiration to join NATO.

 

But he said on Wednesday that a US presence on the ground would benefit Ukraine. 'The American presence will, I think, keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we're doing the digging,' Trump said at a cabinet meeting. Speaking later at a town hall with NewsNation, Trump said he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a recent meeting at the Vatican that signing the deal would be a 'very good thing' because 'Russia is much bigger and much stronger.' Asked whether the minerals deal is going to 'inhibit' Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Trump said 'well, it could.'

But he said on Wednesday that a US presence on the ground would benefit Ukraine. ‘The American presence will, I think, keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we’re doing the digging,’ Trump said at a cabinet meeting. Speaking later at a town hall with NewsNation, Trump said he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a recent meeting at the Vatican that signing the deal would be a ‘very good thing’ because ‘Russia is much bigger and much stronger.’ Asked whether the minerals deal is going to ‘inhibit’ Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Trump said ‘well, it could.’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday threatened giving up on mediation unless the two sides come forward with 'concrete proposals.' Since starting his second term, Trump has pressed for a settlement in which Ukraine would give up some territory seized by Russia, which has rejected US-backed overtures for a ceasefire of at least 30 days. Backed by the international community, Zelensky has ruled out any formal concession to Russia of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula seized in 2014.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday threatened giving up on mediation unless the two sides come forward with ‘concrete proposals.’ Since starting his second term, Trump has pressed for a settlement in which Ukraine would give up some territory seized by Russia, which has rejected US-backed overtures for a ceasefire of at least 30 days. Backed by the international community, Zelensky has ruled out any formal concession to Russia of Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula seized in 2014.

But Zelensky has taken care to voice support for Trump's diplomacy after a disastrous February 28 White House meeting where Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated him for allegedly being ungrateful for US assistance. Trump did suggest earlier this week he thought Ukraine was ready to 'give up' Crimea after their meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday. 'Oh, I think so,' the U.S. president told reporters in New Jersey, asked whether he thought the his Ukrainian counterpart was ready to 'give up' the territory. The US leader said that during their talks at St. Peter's Basilica they had 'briefly' discussed the fate of the Black Sea peninsula.

But Zelensky has taken care to voice support for Trump’s diplomacy after a disastrous February 28 White House meeting where Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated him for allegedly being ungrateful for US assistance. Trump did suggest earlier this week he thought Ukraine was ready to ‘give up’ Crimea after their meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday. ‘Oh, I think so,’ the U.S. president told reporters in New Jersey, asked whether he thought the his Ukrainian counterpart was ready to ‘give up’ the territory. The US leader said that during their talks at St. Peter’s Basilica they had ‘briefly’ discussed the fate of the Black Sea peninsula.

Zelensky hailed the recent summit as a 'good meeting...that has the potential to become historic', while the Washington said it was 'very productive'. But the Ukrainian leader has otherwise remained steadfast on his position on Crimea. Crimea has been a sticking point in negotiations. The strategic peninsula was given to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954 - before Putin illegally annexed it in 2014. Russia said this week it was ready to negotiate with Ukraine - but said recognition of Moscow's claims over five Ukrainian regions including Crimea were 'imperative' to resolving the conflict. Experts warn Trump's peace plan, which includes recognising Russian authority over Crimea, would require constitutional changes and could amount to treason.

Zelensky hailed the recent summit as a ‘good meeting…that has the potential to become historic’, while the Washington said it was ‘very productive’. But the Ukrainian leader has otherwise remained steadfast on his position on Crimea. Crimea has been a sticking point in negotiations. The strategic peninsula was given to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954 – before Putin illegally annexed it in 2014. Russia said this week it was ready to negotiate with Ukraine – but said recognition of Moscow’s claims over five Ukrainian regions including Crimea were ‘imperative’ to resolving the conflict. Experts warn Trump’s peace plan, which includes recognising Russian authority over Crimea, would require constitutional changes and could amount to treason.

'It doesn't mean anything,' said Oleksandr Merezkho, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy's party. 'We will never recognize Crimea as part of Russia.' Zelensky echoed the sentiment over the weekend, rejecting any suggestion his country would hand over the region to Moscow. Speaking to reporters, he said: 'Our position is unchanged: only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide which territories are Ukrainian. 'The Constitution of Ukraine states that all temporarily occupied territories are temporarily occupied. They all belong to Ukraine, to the Ukrainian people,' he said.

‘It doesn’t mean anything,’ said Oleksandr Merezkho, a lawmaker with Zelenskyy’s party. ‘We will never recognize Crimea as part of Russia.’ Zelensky echoed the sentiment over the weekend, rejecting any suggestion his country would hand over the region to Moscow. Speaking to reporters, he said: ‘Our position is unchanged: only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide which territories are Ukrainian. ‘The Constitution of Ukraine states that all temporarily occupied territories are temporarily occupied. They all belong to Ukraine, to the Ukrainian people,’ he said.

'Ukraine will not legally recognize any temporarily occupied territories. I think this is an absolutely fair position. 'It is legal not only from the point of view of the Constitution of Ukraine, but also from the point of view of international law.' As well as undermining Ukrainian sovereignty, potentially amounting to treason and stranding Ukrainian nationals, a concession would set an uneasy precedent for rogue states looking to illegally annex territory through force. Kyiv has reiterated its desire to end the gruelling war in Ukraine, but warns it must have security guarantees to avoid Russia reopening the conflict at a later date.

‘Ukraine will not legally recognize any temporarily occupied territories. I think this is an absolutely fair position. ‘It is legal not only from the point of view of the Constitution of Ukraine, but also from the point of view of international law.’ As well as undermining Ukrainian sovereignty, potentially amounting to treason and stranding Ukrainian nationals, a concession would set an uneasy precedent for rogue states looking to illegally annex territory through force. Kyiv has reiterated its desire to end the gruelling war in Ukraine, but warns it must have security guarantees to avoid Russia reopening the conflict at a later date.

Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.

Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk