Russian strikes kill 12 in eastern Ukraine

Russian strikes kill 12 in eastern Ukraine
by AFP Staff Writers
Kyiv, Ukraine (AFP) Mar 8, 2025

Russian strikes overnight had killed at least 12 people in eastern Ukraine as of Saturday morning, the country's emergency service said, days ahead of talks in Saudi Arabia between US and Ukrainian negotiators aimed at a truce.

A Russian assault hit the centre of Dobropillia in Ukraine's Donetsk region late Friday, killing 11 people and wounding 30, according to the emergency service.

Separately, one person was killed in a drone attack and seven others wounded early Saturday in the city of Bogodukhiv, said Kharkiv region military head Oleg Synegubov.

The overnight air raids come after US President Donald Trump threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia but said it may be "easier" to work with Moscow than Kyiv on efforts to end the three-year war.

After Trump publicly berated Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during a White House meeting and suspended US aid to Kyiv in a stated bid to encourage diplomacy, the US president told reporters Friday that he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I'm finding it more difficult frankly to deal with Ukraine and they don't have the cards," Trump said. "It may be easier dealing with Russia."

The remarks followed Trump earlier Friday threatening new sanctions and tariffs on Russia over its bombardments of Ukraine -- his warning coming just hours after Moscow launched a "massive" drone and missile attack on Ukrainian energy facilities.

"Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late," he added.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, on the phone Friday.

On the call, Rubio underscored Trump's goal of ending the three-year war quickly, and emphasized that "all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace", State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

- 'Interested in peace' -

Zelensky is due to land in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The meeting is a day before Ukrainian officials are expected to hold fresh talks with their US counterparts on Tuesday in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

After meeting with Prince Mohammed, Zelensky said his team "will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners".

"Ukraine is most interested in peace," he added.

Earlier on Friday, he renewed calls for a mutual halt to aerial attacks on critical infrastructure following the recent Russian barrage.

The Ukrainian leader said the first steps to establishing real peace should be stopping both Russian and Ukrainian aerial and naval attacks.

This latest proposal builds on growing rhetoric from Kyiv, Washington and Moscow on halting the war.

The Kremlin has previously ruled out a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.

Moscow's defence ministry said Saturday its air defence systems destroyed 31 Ukrainian drones over the past night, with most over the territory of Krasnodar Krai.

A Ukrainian drone attack also targeted Russia's Kirishi oil refinery, with air defence forces shooting down one drone on approach and another over the territory of the facility, Leningrad governor Aleksandr Drozdenko wrote in a post, adding that the "external structure of one of the reservoirs was damaged by falling debris".

A civilian was wounded by a drone attack in Belgorod district near the border, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

- Talks on track -

Russia's defence ministry confirmed earlier Friday it had carried out "precision" strikes on energy facilities.

The Ukrainian air force said it had deployed French Mirage fighter jets -- delivered to Ukraine last month -- for the first time to repel the aerial onslaught.

DTEK, the largest private energy supplier in Ukraine, said its facilities in the Black Sea region of Odesa had been targeted for a fourth night.

Its gas facilities in the central Poltava region had "ceased operations" after being struck in the overnight attack, it added.

State gas company Naftogaz said its production facilities had been damaged.

Ukraine's energy minister German Galushchenko said Russia was trying to "hurt ordinary Ukrainians by shelling energy and gas production facilities".

The latest air raids came after EU leaders, shaken by the prospect of US disengagement, agreed to boost the bloc's defences.

Washington, however, has said talks with Kyiv were back on track to secure a ceasefire with Moscow -- after the public falling out between Trump and Zelensky.

US envoy Steve Witkoff said he would speak to Ukrainian negotiators about an "initial ceasefire" with Russia and a "framework" for a longer agreement at the talks in Saudi Arabia.

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