Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine, killing civilians and exploiting US aid freeze

Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine, killing civilians and exploiting US aid freeze

Russia launched a devastating attack on Ukraine, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more. This comes after Donald Trump defended Vladimir Putin and said the Kremlin leader was "doing what anybody would do."

The attack targeted Dobropillia, with two missiles hitting a five-story apartment building. Another strike killed 11 civilians, including five children, and injured 30 others.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a "vile and inhuman intimidation tactic." Three people were also killed and seven injured in a drone attack in Bohodukhiv.

Russia's relentless bombardment has intensified after Trump halted intelligence sharing and weapons supply to Ukraine. This has weakened the alarm system that warns civilians of incoming missiles.

European leaders criticized Trump's actions, suggesting he is complicit in the devastation. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was "what happens when someone appeases barbarians."

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the "relentless" Russian missiles showed Putin's lack of interest in peace. "We must step up our military support," she said.

The attack on Dobropillia transformed the city center into a ruin. The apartment block was gutted, surrounded by burnt-out cars and debris. Video showed a terrifying explosion.

Irina Kostenko, 59, spent the night cowering with her husband. When she left the building, she saw a neighbor "lying dead on the ground, covered with a blanket." "It was shocking," she told AFP.

Meanwhile, Russia has exploited the US aid freeze to launch bold attacks. North Korean and Russian troops have broken through Ukraine's defenses in Russia's Kursk region.

There were unconfirmed reports that Ukrainian forces had stabilized the situation and avoided encirclement. A hundred Russian soldiers crept through a gas pipeline in a raid on Sudzha, Ukrainskaya Pravda reported.

Ukraine's hold on territory in Kursk is increasingly precarious. Soldiers told the Observer that two supply roads with Sumy were open but under constant attack from Russian drones and artillery.

Serhiy Sternenko, a prominent Ukrainian activist, described the logistics situation as "rapidly deteriorating and already critical." "Logistics routes to Sudzha are under full enemy fire control," he posted on X.

According to Kremlin bloggers, Russian combat groups advanced several kilometers into Ukraine's Sumy region. Russia also said it had retaken three villages in Kharkiv oblast.