Three people were killed and 14 others injured in a Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials said Saturday. The attack occurred despite an agreement on a limited ceasefire between the warring nations.
Zaporizhzhia was struck by 12 drones, causing fires in residential buildings, cars, and communal structures, according to police reports. Regional head Ivan Fedorov confirmed that emergency services were searching through the rubble for survivors. He revealed that the casualties included a family of three—a father, mother, and their daughter. While the father and daughter’s bodies were pulled from the debris, medical teams fought unsuccessfully for over 10 hours to save the mother’s life.
Limited Ceasefire Amid Continued Attacks
The assault comes just days after a tentative truce was discussed between Ukraine and Russia, brokered in part by U.S. President Donald Trump. While Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. reached an understanding regarding a ceasefire, the exact terms remain disputed. The White House indicated that “energy and infrastructure” were to be protected, but the Kremlin insisted the agreement was only meant to safeguard “energy infrastructure.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for railways and ports to be included in the ceasefire provisions.
Despite the ongoing discussions, hostilities persist. The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched 179 drones and decoys overnight into Saturday. Of these, 100 were intercepted, and 63 were likely jammed electronically. Falling debris caused fires in Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense systems downed 47 Ukrainian drones. In Rostov-on-Don, a Ukrainian drone strike injured two people and damaged six apartments in a high-rise building.
Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts
Following Wednesday’s discussions, Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators would meet in Saudi Arabia on Monday to work out the technical details of the partial ceasefire. Russian officials will hold separate talks with the U.S. there as well. Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to support a full 30-day ceasefire, a proposal put forth by Trump, saying, “We will not be against any format, any steps toward unconditional ceasefire.”
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has attached strict conditions to a comprehensive ceasefire, including halting Western arms supplies to Ukraine and suspending Ukraine’s military mobilization—demands that Kyiv and its allies have rejected.
Tensions Over Energy Infrastructure
Kremlin spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of continuing “treacherous attacks” on Russian energy facilities and warned of “symmetrical” retaliatory measures. Russia also accused Ukraine of bombing a gas metering station near Sudzha in the Kursk region. Ukraine’s military command denied the allegations, attributing the damage to Russian shelling as part of a “discrediting campaign.”
Sources By Agencies