Russian airstrikes in Ukraine resulted in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to numerous others, as reported by local authorities on Saturday. This comes following a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stated that the deployment of European troops to Ukraine would lead to a direct confrontation with Russia.
Ukraine is facing escalating pressure from Russia’s aggressive air campaign, utilizing ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to breach defenses. The attacks have specifically targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure ahead of the winter season, with the aim of causing distress among civilians.
In the city of Zaporizhzhia, two individuals lost their lives and one was injured in a residential area struck by Russian drones overnight, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov. Additionally, in Kryvyi Rih, one person died and three others were wounded in similar attacks, as confirmed by local officials.
The Black Sea port of Odesa and its vicinity experienced a significant assault, resulting in 35 casualties, described by regional head Oleh Kiper as a “massive attack.” Among the structures hit was a residential high-rise, where the upper floors suffered complete destruction.
During the BRICS summit in India, Putin addressed the media on Friday, emphasizing that any European military intervention in Ukraine would lead to a full-fledged war with Russia. Some European leaders have expressed support for a potential peacekeeping mission, a notion consistently rejected by Moscow.
Putin refuted claims of Russia posing a threat to Europe, asserting that such allegations are baseless. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk highlighted recent incidents near Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Moldova as potential signs of heightened Russian provocations at border crossings with Europe.
Notably, two fatalities occurred during Russian drone strikes at the Starokozache border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, with another incident narrowly averted at a Polish-Ukrainian crossing point through cooperation between Warsaw and Kyiv.
In a published interview with Deutsche Welle, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed willingness to meet with Putin at the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Miami in December if both leaders receive invitations. However, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, clarified that the topic of Putin’s attendance at the summit has yet to be broached. The Kremlin has previously suggested that Zelenskyy could visit Moscow for a meeting with Putin, a proposal that Kyiv has turned down.