Russia executed another significant overnight assault on Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticizing Moscow for delaying peace talks and advocating for renewed discussions with the U.S. and European partners.
According to Ukrainian officials, the recent attacks resulted in at least two fatalities and multiple injuries on Friday night. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian air force noted that 582 drones and missiles were launched nationwide, with the majority being intercepted.
“Eight individuals, including two children—a 10-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl—have been hospitalized,” stated Ivan Fedorov, the governor of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya region, on Saturday morning.
This attack followed a substantial onslaught on Kyiv on Thursday, which Zelenskyy reported caused at least 25 deaths, including four children, injured many more, and left 60,000 residents without power.
Authorities in the capital declared Friday an official day of mourning.
The recent intense barrages are among the most severe Ukraine has faced during the ongoing three-and-a-half-year conflict, highlighting an escalation in Russian strategies and the stagnation of global mediation efforts despite prolonged negotiations.
President Donald Trump had hosted his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska two weeks earlier for a rapid summit intended to resolve the conflict. Subsequently, European leaders convened at the Oval Office to deliberate security assurances for Ukraine.
Trump has since pushed to arrange a summit between Zelenskyy and Putin, but peace talks have stalled amid heavy bombing of Ukraine by Russia which has dragged its feet over a meeting.
Zelenskyy accused Moscow Friday of stalling by insisting that lower-level officials complete groundwork before any summit between Putin and Zelenskyy.
That reasoning, he told reporters in Kyiv, is “artificial … because they want to show the United States that they are constructive, but they are not constructive.”
Zelenskyy said he hopes to meet next week with Trump and European leaders to revive stalled peace efforts.
Trump, frustrated by Putin’s delays on direct talks with Zelenskyy, said a week ago he expected to decide on next steps in two weeks if direct talks aren’t scheduled.
At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday, the U.S. warned Russia to move toward peace and meet with Ukraine or face possible sanctions. The meeting was called following major Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv.
Ukraine has accepted a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and a summit between Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, but Moscow has raised objections.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration approved an $825 million arms package on Thursday, including extended-range missiles to bolster Ukraine’s defenses.
The State Department said Thursday it had notified Congress of the sale, and that Ukraine would use funding from NATO allies in addition to U.S. foreign military financing to pay for the equipment.
