Fighting has continued in Ukraine as Russia's special military operation' enters its seventh day, while a fresh round of peace negotiations is set to take place.
On Tuesday, huge Russian airstrikes attacked the centre of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, with missiles hitting residential areas and regional state office facilities. The Russian attack on the Kiev TV tower, which killed five people and injured five more, was reported by the agency.
Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told a regular briefing on Tuesday that Russia would strike the Ukrainian Armed Forces' information warfare and psychological operations centre, as well as technological facilities of the Ukrainian Security Service in Kiev, with high-precision weapons.
Sergei Shoigu, Russia's defence minister, has vowed to keep the military operation in Ukraine going until the basic goal of defending Russia from Western threats is met.
"The most important issue for us is to protect Russia from the military danger posed by Western nations that are attempting to utilise the Ukrainian people in their battle against our country," Shoigu said in a video conference with senior defence officials. According to Konashenkov, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 1,325 Ukrainian military infrastructure items since the military action began on Thursday.
He also stated that 395 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 59 multiple launch rocket systems, 179 field artillery pieces and mortars, and 286 special military vehicle units had been destroyed.
According to Konashenkov, Ukrainian soldiers' access to the Sea of Azov has been entirely stopped. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has urged Poland, France, and Germany's foreign ministers to boost sanctions against Russia and offer more arms and financial aid to Ukraine.
In the midst of the deadly conflict, Russian and Ukrainian delegations met for the first time on Monday to try to find a solution to the crisis in Belarus' Gomel area, but there was no visible progress. According to media sources, the second round of peace negotiations might take place on Wednesday.
If progress in the negotiations was made, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko did not rule out a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian presidents. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was too early to talk about such a meeting.
Until goals are achieved, Russian forces will continue their operation: Reports
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