On the 18th, Ukraine reported that at least 10 people were killed in a Russian military attack on the same day. Ukrainian President Zelensky accused the Russian military of launching a “show of force” attack on Ukraine on the occasion of the upcoming meeting between Ukrainian and US leaders.
In the morning of Eastern time in the United States, Zelensky, who was in Washington, DC, posted on social media that at this moment, the Russian military was attacking Kharkiv, Sumy, and Odessa, destroying residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. The drone attack by the Russian military on Kharkiv has resulted in seven deaths, and a missile attack on Zaporoze has resulted in three deaths and 20 injuries. He also said that the Russian military deliberately attacked an energy facility belonging to an Azerbaijani company in Odessa.
According to Zelensky, Russia was aware that the meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and the United States would be held in Washington on the same day, so the Russian attack had a “demonstrative and satirical” nature, “humiliating” the diplomatic efforts of the relevant parties. He wrote, “That is why we need reliable security guarantees.”
Meanwhile, Russia also claimed that Ukraine launched an attack on them. On the 18th, the Russian Federal Security Service reported that it had prevented a car bomb terrorist attack against the Crimea Bridge planned by Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry reported on the 18th that overnight, Russian forces intercepted and destroyed 23 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones.