Russia fires hypersonic missiles as Ukraine presses for peace dealSeveral areas in Kyiv have been targetedKYIV - Russia on Saturday admitted using advanced hypersonic missiles for the first time in the Ukraine conflict as Kyiv's embattled leader Volodymyr Zelensky called for urgent peace talks. Ukrainian authorities said they had "temporarily" lost access to the Sea of Azov although Russia has effectively controlled the coastline for weeks after ringing Mariupol. "This is the time to meet, to talk, time for renewing territorial integrity and fairness for Ukraine," Zelensky said in a Facebook video. Russia's top negotiator said Friday that Moscow and Kyiv had brought their positions "as close as possible" on a proposal for Ukraine to become a neutral state. But Mikhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelensky taking part in the negotiations, said his country's position had not budged.

Source: Bangkok Post March 19, 2022 23:49 UTC