TOPSHOT - Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping make a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. (Photo by Pavel Byrkin / SPUTNIK / AFP) (Photo by PAVEL BYRKIN/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)
Kremlin says the West’s “hostile” reaction to Xi’s visit is not surprising
From CNN’s Anna Chernova
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he is not surprised by what he called a “hostile” reaction from Western nations to the visit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.
“As for the reaction of the countries of the collective West, the fact that on almost all issues this reaction is of an unfriendly, deeply hostile nature is no secret to anyone. The coverage of this important visit is no exception,” Peskov said.
“Of course, the most important thing is not the reaction of the West, but it’s the results of the negotiations that took place. The main thing is the results of the state visit itself.”
Peskov’s comments came after John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesman, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that Beijing and Moscow are deepening their relationship in large part due to their mutual interest in challenging the US’ global influence.
Kirby also pushed back on China’s claim that it had staked out an impartial position regarding the war in Ukraine.
At least one person was killed and 32 others were injured by missile strikes in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said Wednesday.
“As of now, 32 people have been injured as a result of an enemy missile attack between two nine-story buildings: 27 people have been hospitalized, including 3 children,” it said. “5 people were treated on the spot. One person died.”
According to the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office, Russian forces fired at least six missiles at Zaporizhzhia.
The type of missiles that were used are “currently being established,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
The prosecutor’s office went on to say the missiles had caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure and some people are still missing.
“One of the missiles hit between two high-rise buildings, partially destroying apartments and balconies, damaging roofs and breaking windows,” it said. “The blast wave and debris also damaged other nearby residential buildings, cars and other civilian infrastructure in the city.”
Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior Ukrainian official and adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said the strikes deliberately targeted civilians.
“Zaporizhzhia. Today. A specific deliberate strike at a residential building. To kill civilians. No ‘military’ nearby,” Podolyak posted on Telegram Wednesday. “Once again, the obvious. ‘Russian world’ came to kill – plain brazenly.”
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said rescue operations are still underway.
From Olga Voitovych and Svitlana Vlasova in Kyiv
