Zelensky says Putin undermines diplomatic efforts after Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia kills 3, injures 23
Three people were killed and 23 injured in a Russian missile strike on the city of Zaporizhzhia on the morning of Aug. 18, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.
"Many wounded are in serious condition — right now, doctors are fighting for their lives," Fedorov wrote on Telegram. "Among them is a 17-year-old boy. Some of the victims are currently undergoing surgery."
The attack struck an industrial facility, destroying buildings and damaging nearby residential areas, according to the regional Prosecutor's Office.
President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed condolences to the victims' families, saying Russia "knows that today there is a meeting in Washington to end the war," referring to his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump later in the day.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin will kill demonstratively in order to continue putting pressure on Ukraine and Europe and to undermine diplomatic efforts," he added.
The Zaporizhzhia strike is part of a broader wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine.
Earlier the same morning, a Russian strike on Kharkiv killed at least seven people — including a 1.5-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy — and injured 18, local officials said. About a dozen apartment blocks and several cars were damaged.
Russia has occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast since 2022, while its regional capital remains under Ukrainian control but is subject to near-daily strikes.
