ukraine mattarella urgent peace bombs over kyiv

Peace in Ukraine is “urgent and necessary”. The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, sends a strong message from the Quirinal on the day of what is perhaps the worst bomb attack that took place in kyiv during the war. At least 10 dead and 60 injured that the Russian attack, which also took place in other regions of the country, caused on October 10.

“An unfortunate war (that of Ukraine, editor’s note), which the Russian Federation started by arrogating to itself an unacceptable right of aggression, leaves every day a trail of death, destruction, hatred, which also pollutes all fields of civil activities and relationships,” Mattarella said.

Photo Quirinale

“Peace is urgent and necessary. The way to build it is through a restoration of truth, of international law, of the freedom of the Ukrainian people”. The Head of State spoke about the war in Ukraine during the ceremony for the presentation of the Knights of Labor at the Quirinal. “Europe is a target of this war,” said the president again. “The principles of civilization are called into question, the values ​​that emerged as peoples’ response to the barbarism of the Second World War and the dictatorships that provoked it. This is also why Europe has the duty of a unified and coherent response”.

Ukraine, 5 hours alert

On Monday, October 10, at least 10 civilians were killed and around 60 injured in missile and drone attacks launched by Russia in 14 regions of Ukraine. This is the first report provided by National Police spokeswoman Maryana Reva, as reported by Ukraineinska Pravda. The air alert across Ukraine lasted more than 5.5 hours. In kyiv, there were 10 explosions heard from 8:20 a.m. local time (7:20 a.m. in Italy), according to Tass, which cites unnamed eyewitnesses. The anti-aircraft alarm sirens, which at the beginning of the afternoon began to give the alert again in the capital, sounded several tens of minutes before the detonations. Videos posted on social networks showed a few large columns of black smoke in different areas of the capital. Also hit downtown and a children’s playground.

More than 10 Russian missiles over the Dnipropetrovsk region. Photo Ansa / Epa Twitter MAE of Ukraine

The last Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital dates back to June 26. In kyiv, the Russians would also hit “critical infrastructure”, said the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, as reported by Sky News. A total of 11 important infrastructures in 8 regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv, suffered serious damage. Part of the affected territories is without electricity. Russian forces fired over 83 missiles and used 17 Iranian drones to attack Ukraine. Not only to kyiv but also to Lviv, Pryluky, Khmelnytskyi, Dnipro, Nizhyn, Zhytomyr and Kharkiv from the Caspian and Nizhny Novgorod regions. This was reported by Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar, quoted by the Kyiv Independent.

Ukraine, the UN and the Pope

Russian attacks on Ukraine are “an unacceptable escalation of war”. This was reported by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. For his part, Pope Francis invites young people to fight for peace. “As you well know – he told a group of young people who arrived in the Vatican from Belgium – we are going through difficult times for humanity, which is in great danger. It’s true: we are in grave danger. This is why I say to you: be artisans of peace around you and within you. Ambassadors of peace, so that the world rediscovers the beauty of love, of living together, of fraternity, of solidarity”.

Pope Francis. Photo Ansa / Massimo Percossi

China calls for dialogue

And China is also calling for de-escalation in Ukraine. “We hope the situation can calm down as soon as possible,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at the daily press briefing. Beijing “always upholds respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. And legitimate security concerns that must be taken seriously. China hopes “all parties will resolve their differences through dialogue.”

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General. Photo Ansa / EPA Justin Lane