Russian airstrikes in Ukraine resulted in the deaths of three civilians and left dozens wounded, as reported by local authorities on Saturday. This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned against the deployment of European troops to Ukraine, warning that such action would lead to direct conflict with Russia.
Ukraine is facing increased pressure from Russia’s escalating air campaign, utilizing ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to breach defenses. Moscow’s attacks have specifically targeted Ukraine’s power grid, with the aim of undermining civilian morale ahead of winter.
In the city of Zaporizhzhia, two individuals lost their lives and one was injured in a residential area struck by Russian drones overnight, according to regional head Ivan Fedorov. Additionally, in Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed and three others were wounded in similar strikes, as confirmed by local officials.
A “massive attack” in the Black Sea port of Odesa and its vicinity resulted in 35 individuals being wounded, with a residential highrise among the buildings severely damaged, stated regional head Oleh Kiper.
During the BRICS summit in India on Friday, Putin asserted that any European military intervention in Ukraine would be seen as a declaration of war against Russia. European leaders have expressed support for a potential peacekeeping force, a proposal consistently rejected by Moscow.
Despite recent incursions, Putin denied that Russia poses a threat to Europe, emphasizing that no such threat has ever existed. The Polish Prime Minister raised concerns about intensified Russian provocations at Ukraine’s border crossing points with Europe, citing recent incidents along Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Moldova.
Notably, two fatalities occurred when Russian drones targeted the Starokozache border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, while a potential threat to a Polish-Ukrainian crossing point was averted through collaborative efforts between Warsaw and Kyiv.
In an interview with Deutsche Welle published on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed willingness to meet with Putin at the Group of 20 summit in Miami in December, if both leaders are invited. However, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, indicated that the possibility of Putin attending the summit has not yet been discussed, reiterating the Kremlin’s stance that Zelenskyy is welcome in Moscow for a meeting with Putin, an offer which Kyiv has rejected.