Russia destroyed Ukraine's military electrical substation on Wednesday as Ukraine claimed successful strikes on key targets within Russia.
Russian military forces struck a power substation that supplied power for Ukraine's military-industrial complex, the Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
The Russian Armed Forces also destroyed the production facilities of Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises, storage and launch sites for long-range drones, as well as temporary deployment sites for Ukrainian troops. Russian troops are about to take control of a settlement in the northern Donetsk region, said the ministry.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed successful strikes on several key targets within Russia, including an oil refinery in Bashkortostan, oil pumping stations in Volgograd region, and a UAV production facility in Belgorod region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukraine and Western countries have proposed a bilateral meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents. He said the meeting place could be in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, European neutral countries or "somewhere like Kazakhstan".
Russian President Vladimir Putin remains ready to meet with Vladimir Zelensky, but a meeting without any preparations is rather a PR stunt that is most likely doomed to failure, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at an interview on Wednesday.
He said Ukraine showed no interest in Russia's proposal to establish a working group to advance negotiations for the possible summit.
In his meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia is willing to adhere to the route agreed upon by the two presidents of Russia and the U.S. during their meeting in Alaska, but the roadmap proposed by Ukraine and some European countries aimed at prolonging the conflict is unacceptable.
The two officials both expressed the willingness to seek a peaceful solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict at the meeting.
Russia destroys Ukraine's military electrical substation, Ukraine claims successful strikes on key targets
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
