Officials say a Russian strike in central Ukraine kills 14 people and injures 50

By LORNE COOK and ILLIA NOVIKOV, Related Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian ballistic missile strike Friday on the central Ukrainian metropolis of Kryvyi Rih killed no less than 14 folks and injured greater than 50, Ukrainian officers mentioned, as U.S. and European leaders pressed Russia to just accept a ceasefire within the battle.

Six youngsters have been amongst these killed within the strike on the Dnipropetrovsk area metropolis — the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — in what the area’s chief Serhii Lysak described as an “assault in opposition to civilians.”

“A Russian missile on an odd metropolis. Simply on a avenue. In an space with residential buildings,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. A minimum of 5 buildings have been broken within the assault, and rescue operations have been ongoing, he mentioned.

Zelenskyy blamed the every day strikes on Russia’s unwillingness to finish the battle: “Each missile, each drone strike proves Russia desires solely battle.” He urged Ukraine’s allies to extend strain on Moscow and bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.

“The USA, Europe, and the remainder of the world have sufficient energy to make Russia abandon terror and battle,” he mentioned.

The missile strike adopted a drone assault late Thursday on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest metropolis, that killed 5 civilians. Emergency crews carried black physique baggage from a burning condominium constructing as onlookers wept and hugged at nighttime.

A number of the 32 wounded, bloodied and in shock, limped out into the road or have been carried on stretchers as flames shot from the home windows of their properties.

“Now, I believe it’s apparent who desires peace and who desires battle,” Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned at a NATO assembly in Brussels, referring to the Kharkiv strike. “We should get Russia critical about peace. We should strain Russia into peace.”

Russia has successfully rejected a U.S. proposal for a full and quick 30-day halt within the combating, and the U.Okay. and French overseas ministers on Friday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his toes in ceasefire talks to halt Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.

“Our judgment is that Putin continues to obfuscate, continues to tug his toes,” U.Okay. Overseas Secretary David Lammy advised reporters at NATO headquarters, standing alongside French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot in a symbolic present of unity.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that Russia’s actual intentions within the negotiations will turn into clear inside weeks.

“We’ll know from their solutions very quickly whether or not they’re critical about continuing with actual peace or whether or not it’s a delay tactic,” Rubio advised reporters. “Now we’ve reached the stage the place we have to make progress.”

A Kremlin envoy who visited Washington this week for talks with Trump administration officers mentioned Friday that additional conferences could be wanted to resolve excellent points.

Kirill Dmitriev advised Russian reporters that “the dialogue will take a while, however it’s continuing positively and constructively.”

He criticized what he referred to as a “well-coordinated media marketing campaign and makes an attempt by numerous politicians to spoil Russia-U.S. relations, distort what Russia says, and solid Russia and its leaders in a damaging manner.”

Dmitriev, the pinnacle of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, was sanctioned by the Biden administration after Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The U.S. needed to briefly carry the restrictions to permit him to journey to Washington this week.

Civilian areas in three different Ukrainian areas have been additionally hit in Russian assaults in a single day, officers mentioned. The Ukrainian air drive mentioned that Russia fired 78 strike and decoy drones. Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned that its air defenses destroyed 107 Ukrainian drones.

“We see you, Vladimir Putin. We all know what you’re doing,” Lammy mentioned.

Plans for floor offensive

Russian forces are making ready to launch a brand new navy offensive within the coming weeks to maximise strain on Ukraine, and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating place within the ceasefire talks, in keeping with Ukrainian authorities and Western navy analysts.

The deliberate multipronged floor offensive alongside the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) entrance line comes as muddy fields dry out, which can permit tanks, armored autos and different heavy gear to roll into key positions throughout the countryside.

The UK and France are serving to to steer a multinational effort often known as the “coalition of the prepared” to arrange a drive which may police any future peace settlement in Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian official mentioned earlier this week that between 10 and 12 international locations have mentioned they’re prepared to affix the coalition.

‘Russia has been flip-flopping’

Barrot mentioned that Ukraine had accepted ceasefire phrases three weeks in the past, and that Russia now “owes a solution to the US.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with Putin and Zelenskyy, after he promised final yr to convey the battle to a swift conclusion.

“Russia has been flip-flopping, persevering with its strikes on power infrastructure, persevering with its battle crimes,” Barrot mentioned. “It needs to be ‘sure.’ It needs to be ‘no.’ It needs to be a fast reply.”

He mentioned that Russia exhibits no intention of halting its navy marketing campaign, noting that Putin on Monday ordered a call-up supposed to draft 160,000 conscripts for a one-year tour of obligatory navy service.