A village in eastern Ukraine was struck by a Russian airstrike, resulting in the tragic death of 24 civilians at a pension distribution site, officials revealed on Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Kyiv’s allies to intensify pressure on Moscow to cease its ongoing conflict as Russian forces continue their relentless offensive in the eastern Donetsk region, with peace talks showing little progress.
Zelenskyy disclosed that the airstrike targeted Yarova village, located approximately 24 kilometers from Sloviansk city, just a few kilometers beyond the front line. He emphasized the brutality of the attack on innocent civilians, particularly during pension disbursements, as he shared distressing video footage of bodies scattered amidst debris.
Tragically, 19 individuals sustained injuries in addition to the fatalities, as reported by the State Emergency Service. All the deceased were elderly individuals, confirmed regional governor Vadym Filashkin, prompting Zelenskyy to call for urgent action from the global community, including the United States, Europe, and the G20.
Despite these devastating events, Russia has yet to respond to Zelenskyy’s statements, maintaining its denial of deliberately targeting civilians. The conflict, which intensified with Russia’s large-scale invasion in February 2022, has claimed tens of thousands of lives. While discussions among European leaders and allies like Canada have explored post-conflict support for Ukraine, no new negotiations involving Russia have emerged since President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska.
Zelenskyy criticized the lack of stronger international sanctions on Russia, warning that Moscow could perceive this as tacit approval to prolong the war. In a separate development, Russia’s Defence Ministry reported on Telegram that it neutralized 31 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 15 over the Black Sea. The accuracy of these reports could not be independently verified, and Ukraine has yet to respond.
Furthermore, a tragic incident occurred in Sochi, where a man lost his life due to a Ukrainian drone strike, according to the Russian regional governor. Debris from the destroyed drone struck the man’s car in Sochi’s Adler district, resulting in his death, with six houses also sustaining damage in the attack.
