Russia Launches Massive Attacks; Trump Backtracks From Suggestion Ukraine Should Target Moscow

Seemingly unfazed by President Donald Trump's 50-day ultimatum to extremity nan fighting, Russia launched hundreds of drones and rocket onslaught connected six Ukrainian regions overnight, officials successful nan state said.

A kid was among astatine slightest 2 group were killed and 25 group were injured successful nan strikes connected six regions successful northern, cardinal and confederate Ukraine, according to a connection connected Telegram from nan country's aerial unit and information collated by location subject administrations.

The large-scale long-range attacks targeted power infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said connected X. Power was trim for 80,000 families successful his hometown of Kryvyi Rih and different locations successful nan Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine's largest backstage power institution DTEK said connected nan Telegram app.

Firefighters tackle a blaze aft a Russian onslaught successful nan Vinnytsya region of Ukraine connected Wednesday. Ukrainian State Emergency Service / AFP - Getty Images

The attacks came hours aft Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart not to target Moscow. It followed a study by nan Financial Times citing 2 group acquainted pinch nan speech that he had encouraged Zelenskyy to measurement up attacks heavy wrong Russia.

NBC News has not independently confirmed nan Financial Times’ reporting, but White House property caput Karoline Leavitt later said that Trump “was simply asking a question, not encouraging further killing.”

Trump, who has previously lavished praise connected Putin while scorning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, connected Monday gave nan Russian president 50 days to work together to a bid deal. During a gathering pinch NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte astatine nan White House, he besides said that he would slap 100% tariffs connected immoderate state that buys Russian goods.

At nan aforesaid time, he said, nan United States would waste “top-of-the-line weapons” including Patriot aerial defense missiles to NATO friends — including nan much-demanded Patriot missiles — truthful that they tin beryllium utilized successful Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Trump said that nan U.S. had already shipped immoderate of nan vaunted rocket systems to Ukraine. “They’re coming successful from Germany,” he said, adding that NATO members would “pay america backmost for everything.”

However, nan 50-day model has been criticized by immoderate European officials and experts, who person asked why Trump is giving further clip to Putin, who has many times stated his desire to subjugate Ukraine.

And location was nary fto up successful Russian attacks connected Ukraine overnight arsenic it bombarded respective cities pinch astir 400 drones and an Iskander ballistic missile, Ukraine’s aerial unit said.

“Russia does not alteration its strategy,” Zelenskyy said Wednesday successful a station connected Telegram, a time aft a onslaught successful his hometown successful cardinal Ukraine. “In bid to efficaciously counteract this terror, we request a systematic strengthening of protection: much aircraft, much interceptors, much determination to make Russia consciousness our answer.”