The governor of Donetsk, Vadim Filashkin, reported this Thursday on the death of five people and at least twelve wounded, after a new series of airstrikes carried out by Russian forces in this region of eastern Ukraine, partially occupied by Moscow since the start of the invasion in 2022.
According to Filashkin, the bombings caused the deaths of two people in the city of Pokrovsk, two more in the neighboring town of Bílitske, and one more in the municipality of Illinivka.
The governor said the attacks targeted civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, government facilities, a power plant, and a public transportation stop. In a message posted on his Facebook page, he said,"The Russians continue to hunt civilians."
In addition, in the Poltava region in east-central Ukraine, Governor Volodymyr Kohut confirmed the deaths of two people and the injuries of 47 others in an airstrike Tuesday morning. Kohut said the search for victims under the rubble had been completed.
The governor expressed his appreciation to the emergency teams for their swift response and coordination following the attack, and emphasized that, despite the situation, “public services continue to function.” He added: “Two people have died and 47 have been injured. We wish them a speedy recovery. In memory of those who died, we will not forget nor forgive.”
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine confirmed that ten people were rescued alive from the rubble.
Separately, during the day, a telephone conversation took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump since January. On this occasion, Putin reaffirmed Moscow's determination to achieve its objectives in Ukraine, while Trump insisted on the need to end the fighting.
"Russia will not abandon its goals, which are to eliminate the well-known root causes that led to the current situation," said presidential adviser on international policy, Yuri Ushakov, in a telephone press conference. Likewise, according to the Kremlin, Trump suggested to Putin a"prompt cessation of hostilities" in Ukraine.
As Russian attacks continue to hit various Ukrainian regions with a high human and material cost, diplomatic contacts between Moscow and Washington appear to be progressing with difficulty. The Kremlin's reaffirmation of its objectives and Trump's call for a cessation of hostilities reflect the complexity of the conflict and the distance between the two positions, in a context where the humanitarian situation remains a cause of international concern.
