Russia carried out another significant airstrike overnight on Saturday, resulting in at least one death and injuring multiple people.
The recent drone and missile strikes targeted southern and central Ukraine, with local officials in Zaporidia reporting that one woman died and 28 others were hurt.
Kremlin forces launched 537 drones and decoys, along with 45 missiles, according to reports from the Ukrainian Air Force early Saturday. The military in Kyiv claimed it successfully intercepted 510 drones, decoys, and 38 missiles.
Fourteen regions of Ukraine, including major cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Donetsk, experienced the impact of these strikes, as noted by President Voldymir Zelensky.
Zelensky commented, “It’s clear that Moscow used the time leading up to leaders’ meetings to prepare for this new and extensive attack.” He expressed on Social Platform X that “to reopen diplomatic channels, strict measures against all those financing Russian forces and effective sanctions against Moscow—especially targeting banks and energy—are essential.”
He emphasized that this conflict demands more than just political rhetoric, calling for tangible actions from the US, Europe, and the international community as a whole.
This latest attack follows an airstrike just two days prior, which killed 23 and injured many others. Those strikes also affected the European Union and UK council offices in Kyiv, prompting both the UK and the EU to summon their Russian ambassadors.
Following the Thursday incident, the Trump administration approved the sale of 3,350 extended-range attack ammunition (ERAM) missiles along with 3,350 GPS units as part of an $825 million arms deal.
In retaliation, Ukraine reported striking Russian oil refineries located in Sizran and Krasnodar, with Russian officials acknowledging damage at a Krasnodar refinery that sparked a fire.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that their defense systems managed to intercept 20 Ukrainian drones.
Both sides’ ongoing strikes seem to complicate any potential negotiations for a peace agreement to end the conflict.
