Russian Strikes Kill at Least 25, Ukraine Reports

Ukraine claims at least 25 people have been killed in the latest wave of Russian strikes, escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict.

According to Ukrainian officials, at least 25 individuals have lost their lives in Ukraine during the most recent wave of Russian strikes, with the conflict showing no indication of abating.

An attack in the Donetsk Region resulted in at least 11 fatalities and injuries to 40 individuals, including six children, according to local officials on Saturday. Other regions such as Kharkiv and Odesa also saw damage to homes and infrastructure.

In recent days, Russian assaults have escalated as the United States temporarily halted military assistance and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv. This development came after last week’s confrontation in the Oval Office between President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.

Following the recent Russian attacks, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk remarked, “This is what occurs when one appeases barbarians.”

“More bombs, more aggression, leading to more victims,” he mentioned in a social media post.

The most lethal attacks took place late on Friday in the town of Dobropillya, located in the Donetsk Region. According to officials, at least 11 individuals lost their lives when two ballistic missiles struck eight residential buildings and a shopping center.

In a Telegram post, Zelensky stated that once emergency services arrived, Russia carried out another attack “intentionally targeting the rescuers.” He further commented, “These strikes demonstrate that Russia’s objectives remain unaltered.”

Local officials reported that additional attacks in the region resulted in nine fatalities and 13 injuries on Friday and Saturday.

According to regional head Oleh Synyehubov, a drone attack targeted a company in Bohodukhiv, located in the Kharkiv Region. The incident resulted in three fatalities and seven injuries early on Saturday.

According to the regional head, a drone attack on Friday targeted civilian and energy infrastructure in Odesa. The DTEK energy company reported that “this marks the seventh assault on the region’s energy system within three weeks.”

At the same time, Ukraine has maintained its focus on Russia. According to the Russian defense ministry, their forces intercepted 31 Ukrainian drones during the night.

On Friday, Trump stated that it was becoming “more difficult, frankly, to handle Ukraine” compared to Russia while trying to mediate peace between the two countries.

He told reporters that the US is “doing very well with Russia” and noted that it might be “easier dealing with” Moscow than Kyiv.

Earlier in the day, Trump expressed that he was “strongly considering” implementing extensive sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire with Ukraine could be achieved.

Besides discontinuing military and intelligence support, the US also suspended Ukraine’s access to certain satellite imagery, according to space technology company Maxar on Friday.

The decision was made precisely one week following the remarkable exchange at the White House, during which Trump accused Zelensky of being “disrespectful” to the United States.

The Trump administration’s attempts to engage with Putin have left many in Europe worried about the continent’s ability to depend on US support for its security.

On Thursday, EU leaders convened in Brussels to authorize increased defense spending and reaffirm the bloc’s support for Ukraine.

Next week, Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for Trump, is scheduled to have discussions with Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia regarding a possible ceasefire with Russia.

In February 2022, Russia initiated a full-scale invasion and currently occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine’s territory.