Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to the media during a press briefing after his phone talks with the US president, in Kyiv, on May 19, 2025, amid the Russian invasion on Ukraine. The United States has agreed to "tightly coordinate" Ukraine talks with European partners following a call between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the German government said on May 19. Immediately after his conversation with Putin, Trump held a second call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the leaders of France, Finland, Germany, and the EU Commission. (Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denounced Russia following a deadly drone strike that claimed the lives of five people, including a one-year-old baby and several members of the same family, in the central Ukrainian city of Pryluky.
The overnight attack on Thursday saw a Russian drone crash into a residential home, resulting in the tragic deaths of three generations from one household. Among the victims were the wife, daughter, and infant grandchild of a local fire chief who was away responding to a prior strike when his home was hit.
“This is a calculated effort by Russia to buy time to continue its killing,” Zelensky said. He urged Western nations to impose the harshest possible sanctions on Moscow and intensify global pressure, stressing that Russia has ignored calls for a full and unconditional ceasefire.
Images from the scene showed houses engulfed in flames, thick smoke rising into the night, and emergency crews battling to control the fire. By morning, photographs released by rescue services revealed the charred remains of a destroyed home, with a firefighter standing amidst the rubble.
Zelensky emphasized that Russia’s aggression continues unabated due to insufficient international response. “Every moment the world fails to act with forceful condemnation, Russia finds the opportunity to kill again,” he warned. “We are counting on strong actions from the United States, Europe, and all nations capable of making a real difference.”
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after another drone strike on Kharkiv left 18 people injured, including four children, according to Interior Minister Igor Klymenko.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, including two recent rounds of negotiations in Istanbul aimed at resolving the conflict, fighting has intensified. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly vowed retaliation for a Ukrainian drone attack that destroyed several nuclear-capable jets, according to a statement made by former U.S. President Donald Trump following a conversation between the two leaders.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, tens of thousands have died, vast areas in the country’s east and south have been devastated, and millions have been displaced from their homes.
AFP
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