TOP HEADLINES

• Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy has been visiting Ukrainian troops near the frontline city of Bakhmut. "I am honored to be here today to give awards to our heroes," the president wrote on the Telegram messaging app. 

• Russia launched a swarm of drones into Ukraine overnight, killing at least four people near Kyiv, with Ukraine's military only able to shoot down 16 of 21 of the drones. READ MORE BELOW

• China's President Xi Jinping has left Russia after visiting his counterpart Vladimir Putin, and he stressed that "responsible dialogue" is the best way to steadily solve the Ukraine crisis, 

• The Russian side reaffirmed its commitment to resuming peace talks with Ukraine as soon as possible following the conclusion of talks between Xi and Putin in Moscow.

• Putin said after talks with Xi that Chinese proposals could make up the basis of a peace settlement, while President Zelenskyy said Kyiv was open to China joining a Ukrainian peace formula.

• The U.S. is set to accelerate its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the Pentagon said, providing the main battle tanks - something Washington was originally hesitant to do - as soon as this autumn.

• Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met President Zelenskyy in Kyiv during an unannounced visit.

• Officials in Russian-controlled Sevastopol said it had stopped ferry routes around the Crimean port city after an alleged Ukrainian drone attack was repelled by Russian air defenses.

• The fiercest fighting in Ukraine continues to take place around the eastern town of Bakhmut, as well as Avdiivka to the south, the General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said.

• Rebuilding Ukraine's economy is expected to cost $411 billion, more than twice Ukraine's expected 2022 gross domestic product, a new study by the United Nations, World Bank, European Commission and Ukraine reported.

IN DETAIL

At least four people were killed early on Wednesday in a Russian drone strike near Kyiv, an attack which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed showed Moscow was not interested in peace. The State Emergency Service reported that two dormitories and an educational facility in Rzhyshchiv, 64 kilometers south of the capital, were partially destroyed in the overnight strike. 

A reported 20 people were hospitalized in the attack with several people still missing following the series of explosions after 03:00 AM local time. State emergency officials said the search for survivors was continuing after attacks that the Ukrainian military said involved Iranian-made Shahed drones.

"Over 20 Iranian murderous drones, plus missiles, numerous shelling incidents, and that's just in one last night of Russian terror against Ukraine," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.

"Every time someone tries to hear the word 'peace' in Moscow, another order is given there for such criminal strikes."

The Ukrainian military said it had shot down 16 of the 21 drones involved in the attack. Russia has as of yet not claimed responsibility for the attack and refutes allegations it targets civilians or civilian infrastructure.

Zelenskyy on Wednesday was visiting Ukrainian troops near the frontline city of Bakhmut, where some of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine has been taking place.

"I am honored to be here today to give awards to our heroes. To shake hands and thank them for protecting the sovereignty of our country," Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram messaging app under video footage showing him handing out the awards.

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