Russia fired a volley of drones and missiles at Ukraine early on Monday, hitting apartment blocks and a nursery in Kyiv, days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed holding a fresh round of peace talks.

Moscow has not responded to Zelensky’s call for new negotiations this week or an ultimatum by US President Donald Trump to make progress on a peace deal or face massive sanctions.

Two people were killed across the country, Zelensky said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot arrived in the capital, Kyiv, while rescuers were still sifting through the rubble.

Zelensky condemned the strikes as an “assault on humanity” and said at least 15 other people had been wounded in the attacks, including a 12-year-old boy.

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Efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the three-year war have stalled in recent weeks.

The two sides last met for direct negotiations more than a month ago in Istanbul.

They did not make any progress towards a ceasefire, instead agreeing to a series of prisoner exchanges.

Six districts of Kyiv came under attack on Monday, sparking fires at a supermarket, multiple residential buildings and a nursery, authorities said.

An AFP reporter saw damage to multiple buildings, as well as debris and shattered glass on streets.

Russia launched 450 drones and missiles in total, according to Ukraine’s air force.

READ ALSO:Russian Strikes Kill Six In Ukraine

The strikes also caused damage in the western region of Ivano-Frankivsk and the eastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy, according to Zelensky.

Meanwhile, travel chaos that began during the weekend continued in Russia, as Kyiv targeted Moscow with drones;

The attacks forced Vnukovo airport — a transport hub for the Russian government — to briefly suspend flights.

•⁠ ⁠Top French diplomat in Kyiv –

An entryway to the Lukyanivka metro station in Kyiv was also damaged by the overnight strikes.

French foreign minister Barrot condemned the attacks during a visit to the station.

READ ALSO:Ukraine Forces Capture Nigerian Fighting For Russia

“The shelters themselves are no longer entirely safe, as the metro station behind me, which is being used as a shelter for the people of Kyiv, has been targeted,” he said.

“This comes even as President Zelensky’s statement on Saturday morning, that showed Ukraine’s willingness to enter into new negotiations with Russia,” he added.

The European Union agreed on Friday an 18th package of sanctions on Moscow that targeted Russian banks and lowered a price cap on oil exports.

Barrot said the sanctions were aimed at increasing the cost of war for Russia to pressure President Vladimir Putin into negotiations.

READ ALSO:Ukraine Forces Capture Nigerian Fighting For Russia

The Kremlin said this month it was ready to continue talks with Ukraine after Trump gave Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal or face sanctions.

At talks last month, Russia outlined a list of demands, including calls for Ukraine to cede more territory and to reject all forms of Western military support.

Kyiv dismissed them as unacceptable and at the time questioned the point of further negotiations if Moscow was not willing to make concessions.

AFP

Iranian authorities have urged citizens to drastically reduce water consumption as the country battles severe shortages triggered by an intense heatwave, with temperatures surpassing 50 degrees Celsius in some parts.

According to the national meteorological service, this is Iran’s hottest week of the year so far, and conditions are expected to worsen. In Tehran, the capital, temperatures hit 40°C (104°F) on Sunday and are forecast to reach 41°C (106°F) by Monday.

Amid the heatwave in Iran and mounting pressure on water and electricity supplies, Tehran province has declared a public holiday on Wednesday. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced the social media platform X, citing the need for resource conservation.

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“In light of the continued extreme heat and the necessity of conserving water and electricity, Wednesday … has been declared a holiday in Tehran province,” she wrote.

Water scarcity has long plagued Iran, especially in its arid southern provinces. The crisis has been attributed to a combination of climate change, mismanagement, and overexploitation of underground water resources. Officials warn that the reservoirs feeding Tehran are now at their lowest levels in a century, after years of declining rainfall.

Tehran city council chair, Mehdi Chamran, called on residents to conserve water to avoid further supply disruptions. Several provinces have issued similar advisories, urging citizens to cut down usage significantly.

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Tehran’s provincial water management company has appealed for a minimum 20 per cent reduction in consumption to help ease the strain. Local reports from Javan, a conservative newspaper, revealed that authorities have already reduced water supplies in parts of the capital, resulting in outages lasting between 12 and 18 hours in some areas.

Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi, in a statement on Sunday, apologised for the disruptions, explaining that the measure was necessary “to better manage resources.”

The situation adds to the growing list of climate-related challenges facing Iran, raising fresh concerns about long-term sustainability in the face of extreme weather events.

Dozens of passengers were forced to jump into the sea after a fire broke out onboard a passenger ferry, KM Barcelona VA, off the coast of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Sunday afternoon.

The incident, which occurred around 1.30pm local time, saw chaos erupt as thick black smoke billowed from the lower decks of the vessel, triggering panic among those onboard.

Harrowing videos from the scene captured the moment passengers, many wearing orange life jackets, jumped into the water in desperation while flames tore through the ferry.

Footage showed dark smoke engulfing the skies above the burning vessel, with screams and cries for help echoing from the ship.

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Some videos also depicted ferry staff assisting passengers in fastening their life jackets before they jumped overboard, as the overcrowded deck was quickly overwhelmed by the advancing inferno.

According to TheSunUS, the KM Barcelona VA, a ferry servicing the Manado-Tahuda route and nearby islands, was en route from the Talaud Islands to Manado City when the fire broke out near Talise Island, North Minahasa Regency. The vessel had been scheduled to arrive at Manado Port.

Rescue operations remain underway, with emergency teams racing to account for all passengers. Authorities have yet to confirm any casualties, and the cause of the fire is still unknown. A search and rescue post has been established at Likupang Port to coordinate efforts.

“There are KM Barcelona III, KM Venecian, and KM Cantika Lestari 9F,” a Manado KSOP officer confirmed, referring to the vessels dispatched to support the evacuation. Local fishermen and residents also joined the rescue operation, surrounding the burning ferry in small boats to assist in saving those trapped.

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Images taken after the flames were subdued showed the once blue and white ferry reduced to a charred wreck, with its internal metal structure exposed and its hull completely destroyed.

Some survivors were seen staring in shock at the remains of the vessel from nearby boats.

The head of the Manado Search and Rescue Office, George Leo Mercy Randang, said: “More information will follow. We hope all passengers can be rescued first.”

Families of those onboard have been urged to stay calm and await official updates as authorities continue to gather details.

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