Russian forces struck four Ukrainian regions overnight, killing one person and injuring at least 12 others, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced via Telegram on Wednesday. The fatality and ten injuries, including two teenagers, occurred in the Kharkiv region. Attacks also targeted the Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions, where a drone strike injured two people in the village of Bilenke.
“Once again, the Russian army is hunting people to intimidate frontline cities and communities,” stated President Zelensky. “The world now sees that sanctions against Russia and secondary sanctions against those helping it profit from oil can work if they are sufficiently strong. Therefore, pressure must be increased – this will undoubtedly work for peace. We count on concrete and decisive measures,” Zelensky added, thanking the US, European partners, G7 nations, and others willing to apply necessary pressure.
In related developments, the Kremlin condemned former US President Donald Trump’s threats of additional tariffs on India for importing Russian oil as “illegitimate.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted that “sovereign states must independently choose their partners,” according to the Tass news agency. Separately, Russian officials warned that Moscow might redeploy short- and medium-range missiles and cautioned against “careless talk” on nuclear issues.