Russia and Ukraine trade deadly strikes as Zelensky prepares to meet Trump

Russia and Ukraine engaged in a series of lethal strikes overnight, with Moscow launching missiles and drones at multiple Ukrainian regions, resulting in four fatalities, officials reported on Tuesday. Ukraine's military retaliated by damaging a Russian oil refinery in their latest long-range assault. Despite the ongoing daily aerial attacks, front-line positions remained relatively unchanged, setting the stage for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the United States.

Zelensky was scheduled to meet with various world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, at the UN General Assembly in New York, aiming to garner international support to end Russia's four-and-a-half year-long invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, was not expected to attend the event. The war has had far-reaching consequences, causing international shortages of diesel and price hikes, as acknowledged by Trump.

Moreover, the conflict has also impacted global oil supplies due to the Iran war, which has reduced oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Zelensky sought assistance from the US in ensuring the export of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products through the Black Sea, as Russian attacks on cargo vessels have severely disrupted Kyiv's exports and threatened global supplies.

French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that his country would supply Ukraine with additional radars to protect its power grid and discussed the possibility of a truce on energy infrastructure and a "moratorium" on Black Sea attacks with Trump. Zelensky began his New York visit by meeting with US senators, expressing gratitude for their bipartisan support and recently passed tougher sanctions bill, which Trump had signed into law.

The Ukrainian leader outlined his proposals for de-escalation measures, which he intended to discuss with Trump later on Tuesday. Zelensky also reiterated his request for more US-made Patriot air defense systems to counter Russia's ballistic missiles. Notably, Ukraine claimed responsibility for striking the Kuibyshev oil refinery in Samara, southeast of Moscow, causing a significant fire and killing four people, while the Russian Defence Ministry stated they successfully downed 297 Ukrainian drones in 14 regions overnight, targeting industrial facilities, including a refinery in Samara that produces fuel and energy products.