Russian strikes kill 2, injure 8 in Zaporizhia region – official

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Tuesday that an Indian citizen was among 12 people killed in recent Russian attacks on Ukraine. The victim, identified as Sudarshan Bhabhilala, 40 from Gujarat, succumbed to a severe head injury sustained during the assault. Another casualty, Ganesh Kalleda, 35 from Telangana, is being treated for a leg wound and is in stable condition.

President Zelenskyy reported that the strikes targeted multiple Ukrainian cities, causing significant damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. Odesa city and its surroundings bore the brunt of the attacks, with guided aerial bomb and drone strikes leaving thousands without electricity. In addition to Odesa, Kyiv, Odesa, Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, and Dnipro regions suffered from the relentless Russian attacks.

Notably, in Kyiv, a strike on a railway depot resulted in the deaths of seven people. Boryspil experienced the damage of a five-storey residential building, prompting the evacuation of 50 residents. The Ukrainian president emphasized that dozens of individuals were injured in the attacks, and nearly 350 first responders were actively engaged in rescue and recovery efforts across Kyiv and the surrounding region.

Zelenskyy highlighted that Russia employed a significant number of jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles in the ongoing attacks, primarily targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure. He also noted that Russian strikes continued against Odesa and its surroundings, along with the deliberate damage of a border crossing with Romania and export infrastructure.

Zelenskyy firmly blamed Russia for targeting civilians and stressed the importance of enhanced air defense assistance for Ukraine. The president expressed gratitude towards countries contributing to the Priority Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) and bilateral supplies to bolster Ukraine's defenses.