A Russian drone strike on a tower block in eastern Ukraine kills 2 and injures 12
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian drone slammed into a tower block in eastern Ukraine early on Saturday while many were sleeping, killing two women and leaving 12 people injured, Ukrainian authorities reported.
The attack in Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, was part of a large Russian missile and drone barrage across the country that targeted energy infrastructure.
In eastern Ukraine, fighting for the strategic city of Pokrovsk has reached a key stage, with both Kyiv and Moscow vying to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump that they can win on the battlefield.
Russia fired a total of 458 drones and 45 missiles, including 32 ballistic missiles. Ukrainian forces shot down and neutralized 406 drones and nine missiles, the air force said, adding that 25 locations were struck.
Authorities switched off power in several regions due to the attacks, Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk said in a post on Facebook.
A fire broke out and several apartments were destroyed in the nine-story building in Dnipro, the emergency services said. Rescuers recovered the bodies of two women and two children were among the injured.
Almost four years after its all-out invasion, Russia has been pummeling Ukraine with near-daily drone and missile strikes, with many civilians killed and injured.
Several regions have faced rolling power cuts as Moscow bashes Ukraine's power grid ahead of winter, according to the national energy operator. The Kremlin claims its only targets are linked to Kyiv’s war effort.
Pokrovsk sits along the eastern front line, part of what has been dubbed the “fortress belt” of Donetsk, a line of heavily fortified cities crucial to Ukraine’s defense of the region. It could also be a key point in influencing Washington's stance and sway the course of peace negotiations, analysts say.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claims his forces are on the cusp of winning. As a prerequisite for peace, he demands that Ukraine cede the Donbas, made up of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk, one of his key war aims.
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