Ukraine-Russia conflict stay: Zelensky hits out at US over ‘weak’ response to Russian assault on his hometown
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Vladimir Putin does not want a ceasefire after what has been described as one of Moscow’s deadliest attacks this year in the conflict.
The death toll soared overnight to 18, as Ukraine officials said nine children were killed in Russia’s attack on Kryvyi Rih.
Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor, said more than 30 people, including a three-month old baby, were in hospital, while emergency services said 50 people were wounded.
Zelensky said on social media about the attack on his hometown: “People die every day. There is only one reason why this continues: Russia does not want a ceasefire, and we see it. The whole world sees it.”
“Each missile, every attack drone proves that Russia seeks only war.”
This comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Nato foreign ministers that they would know in a matter of weeks whether Russia is serious about peace or not.
He said: “We will know soon enough, in a matter of weeks, not months, whether Russia is serious about peace or not. I hope they are.”
Kryvyi Rih official says deadly strike ‘can never be forgiven’
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s defense council has said “there can never be forgiveness” for the drone strike on Kryvyi Rih which killed 18 people, including nine children, and has injured a further 61 people.
Ukraine officials claim there is a three-month-old baby among the 61 wounded, as well as elderly residents.
They said 38 remained hospitalised, including two children in critical condition and 17 in serious condition.
Ukrainian women take on new roles as men are drafted to war
Ukrainian women are taking jobs once reserved for men, who are being drafted to the front lines in the war with Russia – from driving tractors to working in coal mines.
Kateryna Koliadiuk – a 19-year-old Ukrainian agronomy student – spotted an ad seeking women to enrol in a tractor driving course and decided to try.
But the industrial vehicle was huge and complex, and she wasn’t sure she could operate it.
Read more here:
In pictures: Citizens lay out toys to mourn the nine dead children in Kryvyi Rih
Ukraine drones struck explosive production facility in Samara region, says Ukraine official
Ukrainian drones struck an explosive production facility in Russia’s Samara region overnight, causing multiple explosions and fires, a source in Ukraine’s SBU security service told Reuters on Saturday.
“The SBU continues to conduct targeted operations against Russian enterprises that are part of the military-industrial complex and produce weapons for the war against Ukraine,” the source said. “Such facilities are absolutely legitimate military targets.”
Attack on civilians a ‘sobering reminder’ of Russia’s ‘barbaric war’, says foreign office minister
The Kryvyi Rih strike which killed 19 citizens are a “sobering reminder” of Russia’s “barbaric war”, a Foreign Office minister has said.
In a statement on Saturday, Europe minister Stephen Doughty said: “Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on civilian infrastructure are a sobering reminder that Putin continues to wage his barbaric war against Ukraine.
“Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims.
“As the Prime Minister has said, Russia could choose to accept a ceasefire but instead continues to bombard Ukraine and its population.”
Zelensky says Turkey could play ‘very important’ role in Ukraine security guarantees
President Zelensky said on Friday that he believed Turkey could play a “very important” role in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, after discussions with President Erdogan.
“He confirmed to me that Turkey will be among the security guarantors for Ukraine. This is important for me”, he said, adding: “We have a good relationship with President Erdogan”.
This follows Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha’s statement in March that he believed Turkey had an “extremely important” role in ending the war.
He said: “Turkey’s role [in ending Russia’s war against Ukraine] is extremely important, considering both the potential of this country and the role it plays in the region, especially in the Black Sea region…
“Turkey has one of the largest armies on the European continent. And certainly, in the context of future agreements to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in Ukraine, this role will be essential.”
In pictures: Ukrainians clear rubble from their homes following strike
We will known within weeks if Putin is serious about peace in Ukraine, US says
Donald Trump and his White House officials have reportedly become wary of Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin’s commitment to peace in Ukraine – despite the US president having insisted for weeks that Putin was serious about reaching a truce.
Alex Croft reports:
Ukraine attacked Russian energy infrastructure 14 times yesterday, says Russia
Russian Defence Ministry says Ukraine attacked Russia’s energy infrastructure 14 times in previous day, according to TASS, the Russian state-owned news agency.
TASS cited the ministry as saying that the strikes had caused damage in Russia’s Bryansk, Belgorod, Smolensk, Lipetsk and Voronezh regions, alongside the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Kherson, parts of which Russia controls.
These reports have not been verified.
This comes as Russia accused Ukraine of striking an industrial factory in the Volga river region of Mordovia early on Saturday.
Source: independent.co.uk
