Russian Strikes Batter Ukraine As Zelenskyy Accuses Putin Of Stalling Peace Talks

Russia launched different monolithic overnight onslaught across Ukraine arsenic President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of dragging retired bid negotiations and pushed for fresh meetings pinch nan U.S. and European allies.

The latest strikes killed astatine slightest 2 group and injured dozens much connected Friday night, according to Ukrainian officials, while nan nations aerial unit reported that 582 drones and missiles were fired crossed nan nation, nan immense mostly intercepted.

“Eight group person been hospitalized, among them 2 children, a 10-year-old boy, and 16-year-old girl, Ivan Fedorov, politician of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya region, said Saturday morning.

The battle followed Thursday’s monolithic onslaught connected nan superior Kyiv, which Zelenskyy said killed astatine slightest 25 group — including 4 children — injured dozens more, and trim powerfulness to 60,000 residents.

Authorities successful nan superior declared Friday an charismatic time of mourning.

The latest bombardments are among nan astir aggravated to deed Ukraine during nan three-and-a-half-year war, underscoring some Russia’s escalating strategies and nan paralysis of international mediation contempt weeks of negotiations and diplomacy.

President Donald Trump hosted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin successful Alaska for a whirlwind acme 2 weeks agone aimed astatine breaking done nan successful nan war. European leaders past traveled astatine nan Oval Office to talk information guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump has since pushed to put a acme betwixt Zelenskyy and Putin, but bid talks person stalled amid dense bombing of Ukraine by Russia which has dragged its feet complete a meeting.

Zelenskyy accused Moscow Friday of stalling by insisting that lower-level officials complete groundwork earlier immoderate acme betwixt Putin and Zelenskyy.

That reasoning, he told reporters successful Kyiv, is “artificial … because they want to show nan United States that they are constructive, but they are not constructive.”

Zelenskyy said he hopes to meet adjacent week pinch Trump and European leaders to revive stalled bid efforts.

Trump, disappointment by Putin’s delays connected nonstop talks pinch Zelenskyy, said a week agone he expected to determine connected adjacent steps successful 2 weeks if nonstop talks aren’t scheduled.

At an emergency gathering of nan U.N. Security Council connected Friday, nan U.S. warned Russia to move toward bid and meet pinch Ukraine aliases look imaginable sanctions. The gathering was called pursuing awesome Russian rocket and drone onslaught connected Kyiv.

Ukraine has accepted a U.S. connection for a ceasefire and a acme betwixt Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, but Moscow has raised objections.

Meanwhile, nan Trump management approved an $825 cardinal arms package connected Thursday, including extended-range missiles to bolster Ukraine’s defenses.

The State Department said Thursday it had notified Congress of nan sale, and that Ukraine would usage backing from NATO friends successful summation to U.S. overseas subject financing to salary for nan equipment.