A Ukrainian attack on Russian-occupied Crimea killed one person and injured two others early Sunday, according to Moscow-installed officials, as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held separate phone calls with US President Donald Trump on efforts to end the war.
Sergei Aksyonov, the Russia-appointed governor of Crimea, said the attack struck the northern part of the peninsula. One of the injured was reported to be in serious condition. He did not provide further details.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified long-range strikes on military and infrastructure targets in Crimea as part of its efforts to isolate the strategically important peninsula, which Russia seized and illegally annexed in 2014.
Western officials and analysts say Ukraine's growing ability to strike deep inside Russian-controlled territory has increased pressure on the Kremlin, while Russia's battlefield advances have slowed in recent months.
The latest attack came shortly after Zelenskyy and Putin held separate telephone conversations with Trump.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said he congratulated Trump on the 250th anniversary of US independence and discussed the situation on the battlefield.
"There is a real prospect of ending this war, and America's determination will be crucial," Zelenskyy wrote, adding that the two leaders agreed to continue discussions in person during the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin described Putin's nearly 90-minute phone conversation with Trump on Saturday as "constructive."
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin also congratulated Trump and the American people on the 250th anniversary of US independence. The call was the fourth conversation between the two leaders this year.
According to Ushakov, Trump reaffirmed his willingness to help bring about a quick end to the fighting and support efforts to reach a peaceful settlement. He said Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue mediation efforts and remain ready to visit Moscow.
Ushakov said Putin again stressed that Russia prefers a diplomatic solution, provided its long-standing demands are taken into account.
At the same time, Putin accused Ukraine and its European allies of trying to prolong and escalate the conflict, claiming they have misjudged the situation on the battlefield.
He also told Trump that Russian forces continue to make gains, capturing one settlement after another.
Putin specifically claimed that Russian troops had captured the Ukrainian stronghold of Kostyantynivka, describing it as an important step toward taking full control of Ukraine's Donetsk region.
Ukraine has rejected Russia's claim that Kostyantynivka has fallen.