Russian missile strikes claimed the lives of at least 23 individuals during a second consecutive night of intense bombardment in Ukraine, a devastating outcome that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attributed to the consequences of appeasing “barbarians.”
These assaults occur at a pivotal moment in the Ukrainian conflict, as the United States has suspended military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv, aiming to compel the nation to consider a peace settlement. This decision has rendered Ukraine increasingly susceptible to further Russian aggression. “This is the result of appeasing barbarians,” Tusk expressed on X Saturday. “More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.
Russian airstrikes on the eastern city of Dobropillia resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals and left over 50 injured, including seven children.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, stating they were “deliberately calculated to cause maximum damage.” In his Saturday night address, Zelensky described the assault as one of the most brutal, highlighting a double strike on Dobropillia where the second attack occurred just as rescue teams were arriving to assist the victims of the first. On Friday, following threats of sanctions against Russia to push for a ceasefire, US President Donald Trump remarked that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, was merely “doing what anybody else would do” in exploiting the current situation on the battlefield.
Also, the White House announced the suspension of Ukraine’s access to commercial satellite imagery acquired by the US government through Maxar, as confirmed by spokespeople from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Maxar. Ukrainian officials warned that more individuals might be trapped beneath the debris in Dobropillia, where at least eight residential buildings sustained damage from the attack. Zelensky accused Moscow of focusing not on ending the conflict but on further destruction and territorial capture, as long as the international community “allows” the war to persist.
Kyiv is actively engaging with European nations and maintaining ongoing communication with the American team to synchronize efforts aimed at bringing an end to the conflict, according to reports. On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, conveying that Trump is “committed to ending the war as swiftly as possible” and underscoring the necessity for all parties to take measures to achieve lasting peace, as stated by the State Department. President Zelensky announced plans to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia next week, prior to discussions between Kyiv and Washington. Following this meeting, he mentioned that his team would remain in Saudi Arabia “to collaborate with our American partners.”
Local officials announced on Saturday that Russian attacks in the last 24 hours caused at least 23 deaths and over 50 injuries in eastern and southern Ukraine. Besides the casualties in Dobropillia, assaults in other parts of Donetsk resulted in nine additional deaths and 13 injuries, as reported by local authorities
A drone strike in the eastern Kharkiv region resulted in the deaths of three individuals and left seven others injured, as reported by Ukraine’s emergency service. Additionally, local officials indicated that five people sustained injuries from assaults in the southern Kherson region. The Ukrainian air force announced that it successfully intercepted 79 out of 145 drones launched by Russia during the night, with 54 drones failing to reach their intended targets. Furthermore, the air force confirmed that Russia deployed at least three missiles in its offensive, with at least one of these projectiles being intercepted. These assaults occurred shortly after a lethal Russian airstrike targeted Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Zelensky.