Russia reported on Wednesday that its forces took control of a settlement in the Donetsk region in the past 24 hours, while Ukraine on the same day claimed to have prevented Russian advances.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in its daily report that over the past day, Russian forces had conducted strikes in 145 regions against targets of Ukrainian energy and transportation infrastructure serving the Ukrainian military, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries.
Three precision-guided Ukrainian aviation bombs and 316 unmanned aircraft were shot down.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Ukrainian forces were blocking Russia's attempt to advance deeper into Ukraine, and had caused significant losses of manpower and equipment to Russian forces in multiple sections.
The Ukrainian Air Force, missile forces and artillery attacked three personnel assembly areas and three drone control points of the Russian Armed Forces. More than 1,100 Russian drones were shot down.
Russia claims capturing settlement, Ukraine reports preventing Russian advances
The international community should remain firmly committed to a political settlement of the Syrian issue, support the early restoration of peace and stability in Syria, and promote an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, said a Chinese envoy on Wednesday.
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at a UN Security Council meeting on the Syrian issue that although there have been some positive developments in the current situation in Syria, multiple challenges remain in the political transition, counter-terrorism efforts, and humanitarian situation.
In their briefings, UN officials stated that the escalation of the situation in the Middle East is bringing new impacts to an already fragile Syria. They called on the Security Council to increase its support by continuing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate conflicts and prevent further spillover of regional warfare, sustaining critical humanitarian aid, and promoting long-term investment in Syria's economic recovery and development.
Fu said that China supports Syria in advancing its domestic political process under the "Syrian-led, Syrian-owned" principle, with all Syrian parties encouraged to engage in inclusive dialogue to advance the political reconciliation process. China also commends the efforts made by the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, and supports its continued work in accordance with its mandate.
In terms of security issues, Fu said that the terrorist forces still pose a serious threat to regional peace and security, and reiterated China’s firm opposition to all forms of terrorism and double standard in the fight against terrorism. China called on the Syrian transitional government to fulfill its international obligations and take effective measures to resolutely combat all international terrorist organizations designated by the Security Council, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Fu said.
The international community should adhere to a people-centered approach and focus on alleviating the severe humanitarian situation in Syria. China calls for increasing humanitarian assistance to Syria and making greater efforts to ease the humanitarian crisis, Fu said.
Discussions on the Syrian issue cannot be separated from the overall situation in the Middle East. The current ongoing conflicts in the region are posing greater risks to peace and stability, Fu noted.
"The situation across the Middle East is being driven toward a dangerous precipice, a development that is deeply concerning. Prolonged conflict will only inflict greater suffering on the people of the region while generating severe negative repercussions for both regional stability and the global economy. China calls for an immediate ceasefire, prevent further escalation, and bring all parties to return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible. China stands ready to continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace," said Fu.
China calls for political settlement of Syrian issue, ceasefire in Middle East
