At least eight civilians were killed and 24 others injured as Russia launched a wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian officials reported Saturday. The assault comes just days before a scheduled meeting between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Moscow fired 47 Shahed-type drones and two missiles over the past 24 hours. Among the hardest-hit areas was Kherson, a region partly occupied by Russia since the early days of the invasion.
A drone strike on a bus in the Kherson suburbs killed two civilians and wounded 19 others, according to local authorities. A second drone hit the scene shortly after, injuring three police officers who were assisting with recovery efforts, Ukraine’s National Police said.
“This is how Russia ‘wants peace,’” said Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Russians hunt civilians every day.”
Meanwhile, in the eastern Donetsk region, three civilians were killed in separate strikes, regional Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.
The latest wave of violence coincides with renewed international attention on the conflict. Former President Trump recently suggested a potential cease-fire deal could involve “a swapping of territories,” a notion that aligns with previous proposals from the Kremlin. President Zelensky, however, firmly rejected any territorial concessions.
“Putin wants to pause the war in exchange for legitimizing the occupation of our land,” Zelensky said on social media, warning that Russia’s aim is to escape sanctions while continuing to hold seized territory.
