A prominent Ukrainian politician has been shot dead, officials have said, hours after Russia attacked Kyiv with drones and missiles in an overnight bombardment.
Andriy Parubiy was killed in Lviv, Ukrainian authorities said, after reports of a shooting at around midday local time on Saturday.
It came after Russia strikes killed at least one person and injured 24, including three children, in the Zaporizhzhia region, local officials said.
Shortly after the latest attack, president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using the time meant to work towards peace for planning massive missile and drone assaults on Ukraine.
The overnight attack was the second on the capital Kyiv since Vladimir Putin met with Donald Trump in Alaska for peace talks. There has been little progress made on kickstarting a peace process since that meeting earlier this month.
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Key Points
- Ukrainian MP shot dead in Lviv
- Russia used peace talks meetings for planning massive attacks on Kyiv, says Zelensky
- Russia launches 537 drones and 45 missiles in overnight attack on Ukraine
- Ukraine's military says it struck two Russian oil refineries overnight
- Zelensky breaks silence on buffer zone proposals
- EU leaders float Ukraine-Russia buffer zone – report
Russia launches new strikes in Ukraine
13:01
,
Tom Watling
Covert drone strikes, airport sabotage and nuclear plant fires: All of Ukraine’s boldest attacks on Russia
12:37
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Tom Watling
Russia launches overnight strike on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia
12:02
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Tom Watling
Who is Andriy Parubiy, the MP killed in Lviv?
11:36
,
Tom Watling
Andriy Parubiy, 54, who previously served as the parliament speaker, was a key figure in the two pro-democracy revolutions in Ukraine this millennium.
Hailing from Lviv Oblast, the politician was a member of ex-President Petro Poroshenko's European Solidarity party.
He participated in the Orange Revolution in 2004 and led self-defence volunteer units during the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2013-2014.
After the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, Parubiy was appointed National Security and Defense Council secretary. He held that position from February to August 2014, when Russia occupied Crimea and launched its war in Donbas.
He then became first deputy parliament speaker until 2016 and later the speaker until 2019.
Iryna Herashchenko, a lawmaker from the European Solidarity party, said in a statement published on the party’s Facebook page: “Our team is shocked. This is terror.
“Andriy was one of the founders of the modern Ukraine... principled and decent, patriotic, intelligent.”
We have some more details on the shooting in Lviv
11:32
,
Tom Watling
Ukrainian media is reporting that the attacker who killed Andriy Parubiy approached the politician dressed as a delivery courier, firing multiple shots before riding away on an electric bicycle.
Seven shell casings were found at the crime scene, law enforcement sources told Suspilne.
Authorities reportedly received an emergency call at around noon, attending the scene in Lviv's southern Frankivskyi city district, the police said.
Ukrainian MP shot dead in Lviv
11:27
,
Tom Watling
Ukrainian MP Andriy Parubiy has reportedly been shot dead in the western city of Lviv, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Pictures shared online appear to show the politician’s body on a street in Lviv.
We’ll bring you more developments on this story as it unfolds.
Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko and Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko have just reported the first known circumstances of the horrendous murder in Lviv. Andriy Parubiy was killed. My condolences to his family and loved ones.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2025
All necessary forces and means…
Russia says it captured village in eastern Ukraine, struck Ukrainian military targets
11:18
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Tom Watling
The Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday its troops had taken control of the village of Komyshuvakha in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.
The ministry said its forces had successfully carried out strikes with high-precision weapons on Ukrainian missile and aviation enterprises, as well as military airfields in Ukraine.
The Independent could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
Ukraine FM: Putin mocks peace efforts
10:44
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Tom Watling
Ukraine’s top diplomat Andrii Sybiha has accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of “mocking peace efforts” following another massive aerial attack across the country.
“Putin mocks peace efforts, deadlines, and proposals. Instead, he escalates terror.,” Mr Sybiha wrote on X.
Another massive Russian attack against Ukraine overnight. Again almost 600 drones and missiles. Killed and injured people, including children.
— Andrii Sybiha (@andrii_sybiha) August 30, 2025
Putin mocks peace efforts, deadlines, and proposals. Instead, he escalates terror.
Strengthening Ukraine and ramping up transatlantic… pic.twitter.com/VFRbstw6ob
Ukraine's military says it struck two Russian oil refineries overnight
10:14
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Tom Watling
Ukrainian military said on Saturday that it had struck Russian oil refineries in Krasnodar and Syzran overnight.
Kyiv's military recorded multiple explosions and a fire at the Krasnodar oil refinery in Russia's south, which produces 3 million tonnes of light petroleum products annually.
Russian authorities in Krasnodar said falling drone debris damaged one of the refinery's units and a fire had broken out over an area measuring 300 square metres (3,230 square feet). That fire was later extinguished, authorities said.
There were no casualties, and employees were evacuated, authorities wrote on Telegram.
Russia's defence ministry said it had downed 11 Ukrainian drones over the Krasnodar region overnight.
There was also a fire in the Syzran oil refinery area in Samara region, which had a processing capacity of 8.5 million tonnes per year before August, the Ukrainian military said.
Samara's regional governor confirmed an attempt overnight to attack an industrial enterprise, but gave no further details.
In pictures: Zaporizhzhia locals survey the impact of Russia's latest aerial attack
09:44
,
Tom Watling
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’ in Kyiv: Why Russia keeps bombarding the capital
09:14
,
Tom Watling
Russian attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia kills one, injures 24, governor says
08:45
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Tom Watling
A Russian attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia killed one person and injured at least 24 others, including three children, the regional governor said on Saturday.
The attack damaged infrastructure and residential buildings, Governor Ivan Fedorov said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine's military says it struck two Russian oil refineries overnight
07:53
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian military has struck Russia's Krasnodar and Syzran oil refineries overnight, it said this morning.
The military recorded multiple explosions and a fire at the Krasnodar oil refinery, which it said produces 3 million tonnes of light petroleum products annually in the Krasnodar region.
There was also a fire in the Syzran oil refinery area in Samara region, which had a processing capacity of 8.5 million tonnes per year before August, the military said.
Visuals shared on social media by open-source intelligence accounts showed massive fires engulfing the facilities with widespread damage visible from the attacks.
Ukraine’s campaign against Russian oil and gas facilities continues, with a large fire currently burning at the Krasnodar Oil Refinery in Krasnodar Krai, Southwestern Russia, following several drone strikes against the complex by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. pic.twitter.com/vUwBm32q21
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 30, 2025
Additional footage of tonight’s fire at the Krasnodar Oil Refinery in Southern Russia, resulting from a long-range drone attack by Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/vTXU2Um29M
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 30, 2025
Russia used peace talks meetings for planning massive attacks on Kyiv, says Zelensky
07:49
,
Arpan Rai
Shortly after the attacks this morning, Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of using the time meant to work towards peace for planning large-scale missile and drone assaults on Ukraine.
At least one person was killed and several injured after Russia fired at least 537 drones and 45 missiles at Ukraine.
“We saw the world’s response to the previous strike. But now, as Russia once again shows its utter disregard for words, we count on real action. It is absolutely clear that Moscow used the time meant for preparing a leaders-level meeting to organize new massive attacks,” Zelensky said on X.
He called for strict measures to deal with Moscow.
“The only way to reopen a window of opportunity for diplomacy is through tough measures against all those bankrolling the Russian army and effective sanctions against Moscow itself – banking and energy sanctions,” he said.
“This war won’t stop with political statements alone; real steps are needed. We expect action from the US, Europe, and the entire world."
In Zaporizhzhia, all emergency services are engaged at the site of a Russian strike on a five-story residential building. Tragically, as of now, one person is confirmed dead, and dozens are wounded, including children. Once again, it was a regular apartment building. Overnight,… pic.twitter.com/mYZ2C8WqZ7
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2025
Russia launches 537 drones and 45 missiles in overnight attack on Ukraine
07:35
,
Arpan Rai
The Ukrainian air force said it had downed 510 of 537 drones and 38 of 45 missiles launched by Russia in an overnight attack.
It recorded five missile and 24 drone hits at 7 locations with debris falling on 21 sites, according to the statement on the Telegram messaging app.
Russia won't get frozen assets back without paying reparations, says EU's Kallas
07:19
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Arpan Rai
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said it was not possible to imagine giving back Russian assets frozen inside the bloc due to the war in Ukraine unless Moscow has paid reparations.
"We can't possibly imagine that... if... there is a ceasefire or peace deal that these assets are given back to Russia if they haven't paid for the reparations," she told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen.
The EU says some 210bn euros ($245.85bn) of Russian assets are frozen in the bloc under sanctions imposed on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine and some EU countries, including Poland and the Baltic states, have called for the EU to confiscate the assets and use them to support Kyiv.
But EU heavyweights France and Germany, along with Belgium, which holds most of the assets, have rebuffed such calls.
EU leaders float Ukraine-Russia buffer zone – report
07:04
,
Arpan Rai
European leaders are reportedly weighing on creation of a 40km buffer zone between the Russian and Ukrainian frontlines as part of a peace deal.
The proposal is among several that military and civilian officials are considering for either a postwar or ceasefire scenario in Ukraine, the Politico reported, citing five European diplomats.
"They’re grasping for straws,” Jim Townsend, a former Pentagon official who oversaw Europe and Nato policy under Barack Obama administration, told the website.
“The Russians are not afraid of the Europeans. And if they think that a couple of British and French observers are going to deter them from marching into Ukraine, then they’re wrong.”
Donald Trump's peace efforts appear to be failing after Vladimir Putin's forces launched the second-largest attack on the Ukrainian capital, killing 23 people, just days after both leaders met in Alaska.
US presidents avoid taking a tough stance with Putin, says think tank. Here's why
06:47
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Arpan Rai
Recent US presidents have shied away from taking a tougher line with Russian president Vladimir Putin for fear of a potential nuclear conflict, a Washington think tank has said.
"Putin knows that Washington and its allies have more than enough capacity to reverse his gains in Ukraine, but it is nearly certain that he doubts the United States has the will to do so," the Atlantic Council said in an assessment this week.
It added that "the second Trump administration has repeatedly signaled that the United States has no vital interests at stake in this war”.
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’ in Kyiv
06:26
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Arpan Rai
Less than two weeks after Donald Trump promised an end to the bloodshed in Ukraine, Russia pounded Kyiv with the second-worst aerial assault of the war so far on Thursday, killing at least 23 people and injuring 48.
Residents of the Ukrainian capital, which lies hundreds of miles from the front line, have been forced to adapt to a constant cycle of devastating missile and drone strikes since the beginning of the war in February 2022. The sound of air raid sirens and the retreat to bomb shelters have become a daily reality.
In the past few months, Russia has ramped up strikes on towns and cities in a move experts say is a deliberate attempt to sow fear among civilians and break their morale.
“Russia is pressuring Ukraine through psychological methods and intimidation. This is a strategy to exhaust our moral and instil psychological terror,” Liliya Sky, a PhD student from Kyiv, told The Independent.
Putin 'doesn't rule out' meeting with Zelensky, says Kremlin
06:16
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Arpan Rai
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated Moscow's long-held position that Russian president Vladimir Putin "doesn't rule out" meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, but only after progress was made "at the expert level".
A summit "must be well prepared so that it can finalize the work that must first be carried out at the expert level," Peskov told reporters during his daily conference call yesterday."
At this point we can't say that the expert work is in full swing, so to speak. No, unfortunately, not. We maintain our interest and our readiness for these negotiations."
Watch: Russia strikes key Ukraine energy facility in large-scale drone attack
06:00
,
Bryony Gooch
One killed and 22 injured in Russia's missile and drone attack on Zaporizhzhia
05:53
,
Arpan Rai
At least one person has been killed and 22 others, including three children, have been injured in massive Russian missile and drone attacks overnight, local officials said.
Russia launched a missile and drone attack targeting various Ukrainian regions overnight, with explosions heard in several cities like Zaporizhzhia, Pavlohrad, Dnipro, Chernihiv and Lutsk, officials said.
In Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian missile and drone strikes damaged 40 homes, 14 apartment buildings, and an unspecified number of industrial facilities.
At least eight people have been hospitalised in the attack, including a 10-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, Fedorov said.
Additionally, Ukraine's Air Force confirmed that multiple Russian cruise and ballistic missiles were fired on Ukraine's front line regions.
Zelensky says several meetings planned next week to push peace talks forward
05:23
,
Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv that he expected "several meetings at different venues" with European leaders next week.
Ukrainian negotiators have been trying to move the peace process forward in talks in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and the United States, he said.
Ukraine has accepted a US proposal for a ceasefire and a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, but Moscow has raised objections.
The proposed meetings appeared designed to add momentum to the push for peace, as Zelensky expressed frustration with what he called Russia's lack of constructive engagement in the process while it continues to launch devastating aerial attacks on civilian areas.
Zelensky aide meets Trump's peace envoy in Washington to prepare for peace talks
05:16
,
Arpan Rai
Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, met on Friday in New York with Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss preparations for upcoming meetings.
"The key priority is to push forward real diplomacy and ensure the implementation of all the agreements reached at the Washington summit," Yermak said in a social media post.
"We are coordinating our efforts."Yermak said he had briefed Witkoff on Russia's latest attacks on Ukraine and lamented that Putin had shown no willingness to engage in peace efforts despite his meeting with Trump in Alaska this month.
"Unfortunately, Russia is failing to fulfill anything necessary to end the war and is clearly dragging out the hostilities," Yermak wrote in a lengthy post on X.
"Ukraine supports President Trump's firm resolve, as well as that of all partners, to achieve a lasting peace as soon as possible. Ukraine welcomes all peace initiatives put forward by the United States. But unfortunately, each of them is being stalled by Russia."
Of the meeting, a White House official said only that Yermak and Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's ambassador extraordinary, gave Witkoff a status update on the war and Russia's strikes on Kyiv this week.
The official was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Together with the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, @SergiyKyslytsya, I held a meeting in New York with the Special Envoy of U.S. President @POTUS, @SteveWitkoff.
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) August 29, 2025
The key priority is to push forward real diplomacy and ensure the implementation of all the… pic.twitter.com/38lluDmCk6
Russia expects contact with US to discuss bilateral issues in coming weeks, TASS reports
05:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday that a Russia-U.S. contact to discuss "mutual irritants" in bilateral relations may take place in the coming weeks, the TASS news agency reported.
He also said that European countries were trying to sabotage agreements reached by Russia and the United States at the Alaska summit, but Moscow expected Washington to continue its efforts.
"We proceed from the fact that there will be no deviations from these understandings (reached in Alaska). We expect that this is how the situation will ultimately be perceived in Kyiv and in the European capitals, where there is outright sabotage," TASS quoted Ryabkov as saying.
Macron says Putin would have duped Trump if he doesn't commit to Zelensky meeting
04:42
,
Arpan Rai
If Russian president Vladimir Putin doesn't commit by Monday to meet Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, he would have duped US president Donald Trump, French president Emmanuel Macron said.
"If that doesn't happen by Monday, the deadline set by president Trump, it means that once again president Putin played President Trump," Macron said at a joint news conference with German chancellor Friedrich Merz yesterday.
Trump has threatened "consequences" if the Russian and Ukrainian leaders don't meet.
Zelensky also recalled on Friday a statement by Trump that he would give Putin a week or two to agree on a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader before potentially announcing new action against Russia.
"Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody," Zelensky said.
Ukraine's defence minister lists five priorities
04:30
,
Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s defence minister has outlined five priorities during a meeting with European leaders in Denmark on Friday.
He urged leaders to do “everything together with Ukraine to end the war and achieve a lasting and just peace”.
In a post on X, Denys Shmyhal said he had told leaders his country was asking for their assistance in:
• Equipping Ukraine’s armed forces
• Weapons supplies through the PURL mechanism
• Building an “effective architecture of future security guarantees for Ukraine, where each partner country will make a clear contribution”
• The training of Ukrainian service members
• Defence-industrial integration
Zelensky seeks fresh meeting with Trump, European leaders after Putin stalls peace
04:25
,
Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian officials want to meet with US president Donald Trump and European leaders next week to discuss recent developments in efforts to end the three-year war with Russia.
The proposed meetings appeared designed to add momentum to the push for peace, as Zelensky expressed frustration with what he called Russia's lack of constructive engagement in the process while it continues to launch devastating aerial attacks on civilian areas.
“Ukraine has stated many times that it is ready for a meeting at the level of leaders. We have spoken about this with President Trump and with our European friends. But we see no signals of such readiness from Russia,” Zelensky said.
He added: “That is why pressure is needed. We are counting that the 19th EU sanctions package will be truly strong.”
Putin accused of ‘sabotaging peace’ after devastating airstrike on Kyiv kills 23 and hits British Council building
04:11
,
Arpan Rai
Russia has killed at least 23 people including four children in a massive wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s capital that has drawn international condemnation.
Sir Keir Starmer accused Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging hopes of peace” with the attacks that took place in the early hours of Thursday and saw more than 600 drones and over 30 missiles launched.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike, the second largest attack since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, was Moscow’s answer to diplomatic efforts to end its war.
Ukraine-Russia buffer zone ‘being considered by European leaders’ to get peace deal with Putin
04:00
,
Bryony Gooch
North Korea leader Kim promises 'beautiful life' for families of 'martyrs' killed in Russia
03:54
,
Arpan Rai
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised "a beautiful life" for the families of "martyrs" who perished fighting for Russia in the war against Ukraine, state media said today, praising the bereaved for the heroism of their sons and husbands.
Kim hosted the families of soldiers yesterday and expressed "grief at having failed to save the precious lives" of the fallen men who sacrificed their lives to defend the country's honour, KCNA state news agency reported.
The heroic feats of the soldiers and officers were possible because of the strength and courage given to them by families who are "the most tenacious, patriotic and just people in the world," Kim told the parents, wives and children, KCNA said.
"They did not write even a short letter to me, but I think they must have entrusted their families, including those beloved children, to me," Kim was quoted as saying.
The country will "provide you with a beautiful life in the country defended at the cost of the lives of the martyrs," he said.
The meeting was the latest honouring of troops who suffered heavy casualties in Russia's Kursk region that borders Ukraine, after Kim and Russian president Vladimir Putin acknowledged the deployment in April after months of silence.
Putin says Russia and China oppose 'discriminatory' trade sanctions
03:50
,
Arpan Rai
On the eve of his visit to China, Russian leader Vladimir Putin ranted against Western sanctions as his country's economy teetered on the brink of recession.
Russia and China jointly opposed "discriminatory" sanctions in global trade, Putin said in a written interview with China's official Xinhua news agency published this morning.
Putin will be in China, Russia's biggest trading partner, from Sunday to Wednesday in a four-day visit that the Kremlin has called "unprecedented."
The Russian leader will first attend the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin. The security-focused SCO, founded by a group of Eurasian nations in 2001, has expanded to 10 permanent members that now include Iran and India.
Putin will then travel to Beijing to hold talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping and attend a massive military parade in the Chinese capital commemorating the end of the Second World War after Japan's formal surrender.
Trump’s ceasefire deal is dead – and Ukraine should count its blessings
03:00
,
Bryony Gooch
RECAP: Zelensky calls Russian strike an 'attack on Europe'
02:00
,
Nicole Wootton-Cane
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called Russia’s overnight drone and missile strikes on Kyiv on Wednesday night an “attack on Europe”.
In a video address, the leader said Moscow’s war goals have “not changed”.
You can watch his full statement below.
Inside Putin’s campaign of ‘psychological terror’ in Kyiv: Why Russia keeps bombarding the capital
01:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Macron says Putin would have duped Trump if he doesn't commit to Zelenskiy meeting
Saturday 30 August 2025 00:00
,
Bryony Gooch
If Russian president Vladimir Putin doesn't commit by Monday to meet Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, he would have duped US president Donald Trump, French president Emmanuel Macron said.
"If that doesn't happen by Monday, the deadline set by President Trump, it means that once again President Putin played President Trump," Macron said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday.
Trump has threatened "consequences" if the Russian and Ukrainian leaders don't meet.
Zelensky also recalled on Friday a statement by Trump that he would give Putin a week or two to agree on a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader before potentially announcing new action against Russia.
"Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody," Zelensky said.
Zelensky breaks silence on buffer zone proposals
Friday 29 August 2025 23:27
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected proposals for a buffer zone between Ukrainian and Russian forces as part of a peace deal, arguing it does not reflect the realities of modern warfare.
"Only those who do not understand the technological state of today's war propose a buffer zone," he told reporters on Friday.
European leaders were allegedly considering a buffer zone as part of a postwar or ceasefire agreement in Ukraine, according to Politico.
Zelensky pays tribute to those killed in Russia's residential building strike
Friday 29 August 2025 23:00
,
Bryony Gooch
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has paid tribute to the 22 people killed in a Russian strike on a residential building.
“This horrific strike claimed the lives of 22 people, including 4 children, the youngest of whom was not even three years old. My condolences to all their families and loved ones.
“All those affected, as well as the families who lost relatives due to the Russian strike, will soon receive the necessary housing assistance; relevant programs are already in place. This attack is a demonstrative Russian response to the world’s efforts to end this war.
“Killing children and causing destruction instead of pursuing diplomacy and peace. And such a response demands a reaction from the world: even more sanctions, even more opportunities for Ukraine to speak the language of strength – the only language Russia understands. I thank all the partners who are helping us with this.”
I paid tribute to the memory of those killed at the site where a Russian ballistic missile struck a residential building. This horrific strike claimed the lives of 22 people, including 4 children, the youngest of whom was not even three years old. My condolences to all their… pic.twitter.com/EdSI0gNCSe
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 29, 2025