Russian strikes on Ukraine continue ahead of Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

[Desmond Milligan 0]

Russian attacks on Ukraine continued ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting with President Trump in Washington on Monday. An overnight wave of air strikes hit cities around the country, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Sumy, according to local media.

Ukrainian authorities said a drone attack on a residential area in the city of Kharkiv killed a toddler, a 16-year-old and five other people.

"Despite all of the diplomacy and peace efforts, Russia continues to kill civilians," Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said in a social media post. "Russia is a murderous war machine that Ukraine is holding back. And it must be stopped through transatlantic unity and pressure. Moscow must stop the killing in order to advance diplomacy."

"This was a demonstrative and cynical Russian strike. They are aware that a meeting is taking place today in Washington that will address the end of the war," Zelenskyy said on social media, adding that dozens more people, including children, had been injured in the attack on Kharkiv.

A woman looks at the damaged apartment building after the Russian drone attack on August 18, 2025 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. / Credit: Hnat Holyk/Gwara Media/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Zelenskyy said, separately, missile strikes in Zaporizhzhia killed three people and injured 20. Later, Ivan Federov, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration, said the number of the wounded had increased to 30.

Eleven apartment buildings, two schools, a kindergarten, a shopping center and a bus complex were damaged in the strike, Regina Kharchenko, the secretary of the Zaporizhzhia City Council, said.

The Ukrainian president also said Russia had attacked an energy facility in Odesa owned by an Azerbaijani company, "implying that it was an attack not only on us but also on our relations and energy security."

"The Russian war machine continues to destroy lives despite everything. Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts," Zelenskyy said. "That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings. That is why reliable security guarantees are required. That is why Russia should not be rewarded for its participation in this war. The war must be ended. And it is Moscow that must hear the word: "Stop."

Russian state media reported Ukraine had carried out a drone attack in Donetsk overnight, which killed a 62-year-old woman.

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