In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia launched a comprehensive drone assault and a series of airstrikes across Ukraine overnight into Sunday, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least four people, according to local officials. This surge in violence comes on the heels of remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed skepticism regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to ending the ongoing conflict.
On Sunday morning, airstrikes targeted the city of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region, claiming the lives of three individuals and leaving four others wounded, as reported by the regional prosecutor's office. The situation further deteriorated with another attack in Pavlohrad, located in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where one person was killed and a 14-year-old girl sustained injuries. This marks the third consecutive night that Pavlohrad has faced drone strikes, according to local Governor Serhii Lysak.
The recent attacks coincided with Russia's claims of regaining control over the remaining parts of the Kursk region, which had been seized by Ukrainian forces during a surprise incursion last August. However, Ukrainian officials refuted this assertion, stating that fighting in Kursk is still very much ongoing.
In a social media post, Trump voiced his doubts about Putin's willingness to end the more than three-year war in Ukraine, signaling a shift in his earlier optimism regarding a potential peace deal. Just a day prior, Trump had stated that Ukraine and Russia were "very close to a deal." He emphasized, "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities, and towns over the last few days," while traveling back to the United States after attending Pope Francis’ funeral. During this trip, he briefly met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump hinted at the possibility of further sanctions against Russia, indicating a more aggressive stance towards Moscow. The conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy at the Vatican was notable, as it marked their first face-to-face meeting since a contentious Oval Office encounter in late February.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia deployed a staggering 149 exploding drones and decoys in this latest wave of attacks. Notably, Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted 57 of these drones, while another 67 were jammed. The conflict has also impacted various regions, with drone attacks resulting in injuries in the Odesa region and the city of Zhytomyr. Additionally, four people were reported wounded following a Russian airstrike in the city of Kherson on Sunday morning.
In retaliation, Russian Defense Ministry officials stated that their air defenses shot down five Ukrainian drones in the border region of Bryansk, as well as three drones over the Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Meanwhile, five individuals were reported injured due to Ukrainian shelling in the city of Horlivka, located in the partially occupied Donetsk region, according to the city’s Russian-installed Mayor Ivan Prikhodko.
The recent surge in violence underscores the volatility of the situation in Ukraine, raising concerns about further escalation and the humanitarian impact on civilians caught in the crossfire.
