Russian airstrikes resulted in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to numerous individuals in Ukraine, as confirmed by local authorities on Saturday. This came after Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned that the deployment of European troops to Ukraine would constitute a direct confrontation with Russia.
Ukraine is facing escalating pressure from Russia through an intensified air campaign utilizing ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to breach defenses. Moscow’s assaults have specifically targeted Ukraine’s power grid in preparation for winter, with the aim to dishearten civilians, according to officials.
In the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, two individuals lost their lives and one sustained injuries in a residential area due to Russian drone strikes overnight, as reported by regional head Ivan Fedorov. Additionally, in Kryvyi Rih, one individual perished and three others were wounded in similar strikes, as confirmed by local officials.
Furthermore, in the vicinity of the Black Sea port of Odesa, a significant attack left 35 individuals injured, with regional head Oleh Kiper labeling it as a “massive attack.” Among the structures affected was a residential high-rise building, with its upper floors completely demolished.
During the BRICS summit in India on Friday, Putin expressed that any European military intervention in Ukraine would signify a declaration of war against Russia. Several European leaders have pledged support for a potential peacekeeping mission, a proposal that Moscow has consistently opposed.
Despite recent incursions, Putin dismissed any notion of Russia posing a threat to Europe, emphasizing that such assertions are baseless. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk highlighted two incidents along Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Moldova as indicators of potential heightened Russian provocations at Ukraine’s border crossing points with Europe.
In another development, two individuals lost their lives as a result of Russian drone attacks at the Starokozache border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, with a potential threat to a Polish-Ukrainian crossing point narrowly averted through collaboration between Warsaw and Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed willingness to meet with Putin if both leaders are invited to the Group of 20 summit in Miami in December. Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, mentioned that discussions regarding Putin’s attendance at the summit have not yet taken place. The Kremlin has previously suggested that Zelenskyy could visit Moscow for a meeting with Putin, an offer that Kyiv has rejected.