Russian airstrikes resulted in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to numerous individuals in Ukraine, as confirmed by local authorities on Saturday. The attacks came following a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cautioned that the deployment of European troops in Ukraine would escalate into a direct confrontation with Russia.
Ukraine is facing escalating pressure from Russia’s intensified aerial assault, utilizing ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to breach defenses. The attacks have specifically targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure in preparation for the winter season, with the aim of causing despair among civilians.
In the city of Zaporizhzhia, two individuals lost their lives and one was injured in a residential area due to Russian drone strikes overnight, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov. Additionally, in Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed and three others sustained injuries in similar strikes, as reported by local officials.
Further south, in the Black Sea port of Odesa and its vicinity, a total of 35 individuals were wounded in what regional head Oleh Kiper described as a “significant attack.” Among the structures hit was a residential high-rise building, with its upper floors completely demolished.
During the BRICS summit in India on Friday, Putin emphasized that any European incursion into Ukraine would effectively provoke a war with Russia. The Russian President dismissed allegations of posing a threat to Europe, asserting that such claims were unfounded.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk raised concerns over recent incidents along Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Moldova, suggesting they could be precursors to heightened Russian provocations at Ukraine’s border crossings with European nations.
In response to the escalating tensions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed willingness to meet with Putin at the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Miami in December, as reported in an interview published by Deutsche Welle. However, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, noted that the potential attendance of Putin at the summit had not yet been deliberated. The Kremlin had previously offered Zelenskyy the option to visit Moscow for a meeting with Putin, an offer that Kyiv had rejected.