Russian strikes killed eight civilians and wounded dozens in Ukraine on Saturday as President Vladimir Putin warned that deploying European troops would mean “a war with Russia.”
Two people were killed and one wounded in Zaporizhzhia, while one died and three were wounded in Kryvyi Rih, officials said. In Odesa, 35 people were wounded in a “massive attack,” regional head Oleh Kiper said. A residential high-rise was hit, destroying its upper floors. Three people were killed when drones struck cars in Kramatorsk, while two others died in an attack on a grocery store in Zhytomyr region.
Ukraine faces an intensifying Russian air campaign involving ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones, including attacks on its power grid ahead of winter.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces struck chemical facilities in Russia’s Samara and Perm regions. Russian officials did not immediately comment, while Astra reported drone attacks on plants there.
Putin, speaking at the BRICS summit in India, denied threatening Europe. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned of Russian provocations after attacks near Ukrainian border crossings with Moldova and Poland.
Zelenskyy said he would meet Putin at December’s G20 summit in Miami if both were invited. Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov said attendance had not been discussed. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Zelenskyy could meet Putin in Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow remains ready for negotiations but would not suspend its “special military operation” during talks.