KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian military strike on the town of Dobropillya, located in Ukraine's troubled Donetsk region, resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals, according to officials. This incident marks a continuation of heavy aerial assaults that persisted into a second consecutive night, following the United States' decision to halt sharing satellite imagery with Ukraine. The attack occurred late Friday as multiple strikes damaged eight apartment blocks in Dobropillya, a town situated near the front lines where Russian forces are reportedly making consistent advances.
The Ukrainian State Emergency Service reported that 30 people were injured in the attacks and noted that a Russian drone also damaged a fire truck as rescue teams worked to extinguish the flames engulfing the buildings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted that at least five of the injured were children, condemning the attack as a vile and inhumane act. He stated, “Last night, the Russian army fired two ballistic missiles at the center of Dobropillya,” adding that a subsequent strike appeared to be a deliberate attack on rescuers assisting the injured.
This incident followed a recent assault on Ukrainian energy facilities, where dozens of missiles and drones were launched, further crippling the nation’s ability to provide heat and light to its citizens, as well as affecting the operations of weapons factories critical to its defense efforts. The timing of the barrage is significant, as it coincided with the U.S. suspending military aid and intelligence to Ukraine, which was perceived as an attempt to pressure Ukraine into accepting a peace deal advocated by the Trump administration.
In a response to inquiries about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin was exploiting the U.S. pause on intelligence-sharing to escalate attacks on Ukraine, Trump remarked, “I think he’s doing what anybody else would.” Although Zelenskyy did not specifically address the intelligence-sharing situation, he did acknowledge remarks made by Trump regarding the imposition of financial sanctions against Moscow. Trump suggested the implementation of extensive banking sanctions and tariffs until a cease-fire and final peace settlement were reached, a notion that Zelenskyy welcomed, asserting, “Everything that helps Putin finance the war must be broken.”
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russian troops launched three Iskander missiles and 145 drones against Ukraine overnight. The barrage included both attack drones and decoy drones designed to confuse the country's air defense systems. According to reports, one missile and 79 drones were intercepted, with an additional 54 drones reportedly lost without causing any damage. Among the targeted locations was Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, where three casualties occurred following a drone strike on a civilian workshop, as confirmed by emergency services.
In related news, Russian defense officials stated that their forces shot down 31 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 26 in the Krasnodar region. Additionally, debris from one of the intercepted drones reportedly ignited a fire at the KINEF oil refinery in Russia's Leningrad region, although no casualties were reported from that incident.
