Overnight Russian strikes across the country have resulted in at least deaths and another 85 injuries, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to call for “very harsh, truly painful” sanctions on Russia.
Moscow’s most recent barrage occurred hours after President Donald Trump stated he would shorten the timeframe for Vladimir Putin to achieve a peace agreement or incur substantial tariffs.
President Zelensky reported that came under attack, including the eastern city of Kamyanske, where a hospital strike resulted in the death of a 23-year-old pregnant woman.
He further added that airstrikes commenced around midnight local time, with multiple Russian bombs striking a prison facility on the frontline in the Zaporizhzhia region, most of which is currently .
Ivan Federov, Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, stated Tuesday that 16 individuals were killed in the strikes, deeming it a “blatant war crime.”
“The Russians could not have been unaware that they were targeting civilians in that facility. Many were killed, and another 43 people were wounded, some of them with very severe injuries,” Zelensky commented following the attacks.
Russian attacks persisted on Tuesday morning, with a drone strike leaving injured in the eastern city of Kostiantynivka. , head of the city’s Military Administration, denounced it as “cynical aggression by Russian occupiers” against civilian infrastructure.
Zelensky continued: “This was done after a completely clear position was voiced by the United States – a position supported by the world – that Russia must end this war and move to diplomacy,” he further stated.
The Ukrainian President referenced Trump’s updated deadline for Putin to reach a peace deal with Kyiv, which Zelensky stated .
“I am going to establish a new deadline of approximately 10 or 12 days from today. There is no reason for them [Russia] to wait. I aimed to be generous with 50 days, but we are simply not observing any progress being made,” remarked as he met with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in Scotland on Monday.
The President also confirmed that he would implement secondary tariffs on Russia if a deal does not materialize. Two weeks prior, had indicated that he would grant Russia 50 days to achieve such a deal, and failure to do so would result in 100% tariffs on Russia and any of its trading partners.
The previous deadline would have granted Moscow until September 3rd, but this has now been advanced to between August 7th and 9th.
“Each new ultimatum represents a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,” stated Deputy Chair of the Security Council of the Russian Federation in response to Trump’s comments on Monday.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , asserting: “To those in Russia who believe that President Trump is not serious about ending the bloodbath between Russia and Ukraine: You and your customers will soon be sadly mistaken.”
, responding: “It’s not for you or Trump to dictate when to ‘get at the peace table’. Negotiations will conclude when all the objectives of our military operation have been achieved. Work on America first, gramps!” in the social media spat.