InternationalCurrent AffairsRussia-Ukraine War
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Beijing invited several foreign leaders to attend a large-scale military parade on the 3rd, including Russian President Putin. However, while he witnessed the PLA's display of combat power, the Russian army continued a new wave of air strikes on Ukraine, with many civilian facilities and residential areas becoming targets. Ukrainian President Zelensky lamented that this move was undoubtedly a deliberate attempt by Russia to show off Putin's impunity from international sanctions, and called on the international community to respond.
CNN reported that since late on the 2nd, the Russian army has deployed at least 502 long-range drones and 24 cruise missiles to launch a new wave of all-night air strikes on Ukrainian territory. Among them, the Ukrainian Air Force stated that the air defense system successfully intercepted 451 targets, but 3 missiles and 69 drones still achieved the task of striking 14 locations.
(Further reading: SCO Summit's Tianjin Declaration Makes No Mention of Russo-Ukrainian War; Ukraine: Putin's Diplomatic Failure is a Major Failure)
(Extended reading: Both passengers demonstrate strong friendship; Putin publicly praises Kim Jong-un for sending troops to help. )
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said via social media platform X that the new wave of Russian military attacks on western Ukrainian cities mainly targets civilian infrastructure, with a particular focus on energy facilities, transportation hubs, and even small grocery stores located in garages. Attacks on residential areas have become routine for the Russian military.
Zelensky criticized the Russian military's continued airstrikes during Vladimir Putin's visit as"a clear and deliberate attempt to demonstrate Putin's impunity under international sanctions." The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that the offensive continued as of the morning of the 3rd. Zelensky called for an international response to Russia's arrogance and stated that he would discuss sanctions against Russia with other allies in the coming days.
All the necessary emergency services, energy and railway workers are currently working to eliminate the consequences of the Russian strike. Another massive attack – a total of 526 means of destruction, including more than 500 attack drones and 24 missiles. The main targets were…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 3, 2025
