‘Vladimir, STOP!’: Russian strikes on Ukraine draws rare rebuke from Trump

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine does not “see strong pressure on Russia now” nor new sanctions against Moscow, despite its unwillingness to progress the talks.

“We believe that with greater pressure on the Russian Federation, we will be able to bring our sides closer,” he said.

Trump on Wednesday criticised  Zelenskyy for rejecting any recognition of Russia’s occupation of Crimea, warning that such “inflammatory” remarks could derail efforts to end the war.

“This statement is very harmful to the peace negotiations with Russia,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding that Crimea was “lost years ago and is not even a point of discussion.”

Nine Killed, 70 injured

At least nine people have been killed and over 70 injured in Kyiv after Russia launched one of its most devastating air attacks on Ukraine in months. The capital, along with Kharkiv and other cities, was hit by waves of drones and ballistic and guided missiles in the early hours of Thursday.

Explosions began around 1am local time and continued through the night, accompanied by anti-aircraft fire as Ukrainian defences attempted to intercept the strikes.

Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said rescuers were still pulling survivors from the rubble. “The injured included six children and a pregnant woman,” he noted, adding that homes, vehicles, and other buildings had caught fire and were damaged by falling debris.

“Russia has launched a massive combined strike on Kyiv,” Ukraine’s state emergency service said on Telegram. “According to preliminary data, nine people were killed, 63 injured.”

Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, said a major rescue operation was ongoing in the Svyatoshinsky district. “Mobile phones can be heard ringing under the ruins. The search will continue until everybody is got out. We have information about two children who cannot be found at the scene of the incident,” he said.