At least 23 people were killed in a second night of heavy Russian missile strikes on Ukraine, prompting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to criticize the attacks as the result of appeasing “barbarians.”
The strikes come at a crucial moment in the war, as the United States has halted military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine in an effort to pressure Kyiv into accepting a peace agreement. The suspension of support has left Ukraine increasingly vulnerable to Russian attacks.
“This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians,” Tusk wrote on X Saturday. “More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine.”
The eastern city of Dobropillia was hit particularly hard, with 11 people killed and at least 50 wounded, including seven children. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, stating they were “deliberately calculated to cause maximum damage.”
“It was one of the most brutal strikes, a combined one,” Zelensky said in his nightly address on Saturday. He described a double strike in Dobropillia, where the second attack targeted first responders tending to the victims of the initial explosion.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has faced scrutiny for his response to the escalating conflict. On Friday, after warning Russia of potential sanctions to force a ceasefire, Trump remarked that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “doing what anybody else would do” in taking advantage of the current battlefield situation.
The White House has also suspended Ukraine’s access to commercial satellite imagery purchased through the U.S. government and the company Maxar, as confirmed by spokespeople for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Maxar on Friday.
Ukrainian officials fear that more people remain trapped under the rubble in Dobropillia, where at least eight residential buildings sustained severe damage in the attack.
Zelensky accused Moscow of focusing on destruction and territorial conquest rather than ending the war. “As long as the world allows this to continue, Russia will think not about how to end the war, but about how to destroy and capture more,” he said.
Despite these challenges, Kyiv is actively engaging in diplomatic efforts. Zelensky noted ongoing “constant contact with the American team” and other European nations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday, reaffirming Trump’s commitment to ending the war. “Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasized that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace,” the State Department stated.
Zelensky is set to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next week, ahead of negotiations between Kyiv and Washington. His team is expected to remain in Saudi Arabia to coordinate further discussions with U.S. officials.
Continued Russian Assaults Across Ukraine
Russian attacks across eastern and southern Ukraine claimed more than 23 lives and left over 50 wounded in the past 24 hours, according to local officials.
Beyond Dobropillia, Russian strikes in Donetsk killed nine and injured 13, local authorities reported. A separate drone attack in the eastern Kharkiv region killed three people and wounded seven, while five were injured in attacks on the southern Kherson region.
Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 79 out of 145 drones launched by Russia overnight, while 54 drones failed to reach their targets. At least three missiles were also used in the attack, with one confirmed interception by Ukrainian forces.
The latest assaults come just days after a deadly Russian airstrike on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown, further intensifying the conflict as Ukraine grapples with diminishing Western support.
