Russian strikes in Eastern Ukraine kills 11, regional authorities say

A series of Russian strikes in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's southeastern city, on Saturday resulted in at least 11 deaths, including three children, according to regional authorities. Acting head of Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, Mykhailo Semikin, stated in a Telegram post that rescue operations were ongoing as people continued to be found underneath the rubble of destroyed houses.

Ukrainian authorities allege that Russia specifically targeted residential neighborhoods in the city, causing damage to two residential buildings. This attack came just one day after Ukrainian officials engaged in diplomatic efforts with European and U.S. officials in Miami on October 9th, aimed at resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The preceding diplomatic initiatives faced criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who alleged that the temporary lifting of sanctions on Russian diesel by U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday was merely a "smokescreen" to conceal continued aggression. Zelenskyy expressed his concerns during the early hours of Saturday, stating that the strikes on Zaporizhzhia were a clear indication that Russia viewed any relaxation of the pressure as an opportunity to persist in the fighting and to resume bombing civilian areas.