UKRAINE’S Air Force said Russian forces launched multiple strikes on Dobropillia, a city in Donetsk Oblast, Friday night, resulting in casualties and injuries.
The development has raised intense worries, following intelligence sharing withdrawal by the U.S. authorities to Ukraine as recently hinted by President Donald Trump.
Governor Vadym Filashkin of Donetsk Oblast reported that at least 11 people were killed and 30 injured, adding that more victims might be trapped under the rubble of eight damaged apartment buildings.
This comes amid a week of intensified Russian aerial assaults on Ukraine, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to halt intelligence sharing with Kyiv, raising concerns that Russian missile strikes could now hit cities without prior warning.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched two ballistic Iskander missiles and one cruise missile from the Rostov region into Ukraine, along with a total of 145 drones, including Shahed attack UAVs and dummy drones, from multiple locations.
Ukraine said the cruise missile and 79 drones were intercepted by fighter jets and mobile fire groups on the ground.
Ukrainian diplomat and politician Maj Volodymyr Omelyan, speaking in a BBC Breakfast interview on Saturday, stated that Ukraine will continue fighting “because there is no other option for us.”
“Russians are extremely inspired by recent statements of Trump that he’s leaving Europe, he’s going to remove sanctions against Russia, cutting Ukrainian intelligence and also supplies,” Omelyan says.
Reacting to reports that Washington has revoked access to satellite imagery, Omelyan said it now feels “like fighting blind.”
“We don’t see what Russia is preparing to do on its territory anymore,” he adds. “It’s very difficult to see the main direction of their future attacks and supplies.
“You hear the noise and feel the enemy but you cannot see it.”
The ICIR reported that a much-anticipated meeting between Ukraine’s president and Donald Trump seven days ago escalated into a public dispute.
Hopes for the signing of a highly anticipated minerals deal and a step toward peace were dashed as the U.S. president criticised Volodymyr Zelensky for being “disrespectful” to the U.S.
The following day, the UK’s Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Zelensky, and a day later, European and Canadian leaders convened for a summit to discuss the continent’s support for Kyiv.
And yesterday, March 7, the European leaders met again with the group backing plans to jointly borrow €150 billion to lend to European Union governments for military expenditure against the backdrop of the US pausing military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Also, the latest sign of the tide turning, the US and Ukraine said their teams will meet in Saudi Arabia next week for talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.