Ukraine demands removal of Russia from G20 amid series of drone attacks on Kyiv

As waves of explosives-laden suicide drones struck Ukraine’s capital on Monday, setting buildings ablaze, and killing at least four people, a top Ukrainian official demanded the people who were behind the brutal attack should not be allowed to attend the G20 meeting. Taking to Twitter, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's advisor, Mykhailo Podoliak said those who ordered the attack had a clear intention- to terrorise and scare civilians in the already war-embattled nation. "Those who give orders to attack critical infrastructure to freeze civilians and organize total mobilization to cover the frontline with corpses, cannot sit at the same table with leaders of G20 for sure," said Podoliak on the microblogging site. "Time to put an end to ru-hypocrisy. RF must be expelled from all platforms," he added. 

Notably, G20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union. It includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the USA and the European Union (EU). Remarkably, the grouping accounts for 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade and two-thirds of the world population, making it the premier forum for international economic cooperation. 

The critical remarks from the top Ukranian official came as several explosives-laden suicide drones struck Kyiv-- the second time in a week.  "One strike appeared to target the city’s heating network, hitting an operations centre. Another slammed into a four-story residential building, ripping open a gaping hole and collapsing at least three apartments. Four bodies were recovered, including those of a woman who was 6 months pregnant and her husband, Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said following the back-to-back attacks. 

Putin had promised to not escalate the war

Amid escalating war between Moscow and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a press conference in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, last week, asserted that he would not carry out massive strikes against facilities in the war-embattled nation, "at least for now". As per the Russian President, Moscow has some other plans and goals and reiterated, "there is no need for massive strikes, at least for now". "Currently, other tasks are on the agenda, because, in my opinion, out of the 29 facilities, seven were not hit the way the Defense Ministry had planned. But these facilities are being finished off gradually, there is no need for massive strikes, at least for now. Then we'll see," Putin said.

Image: AP