Zelenskiy accuses US of inaction as Russian strikes kill over 70 in two days

What happened in Kramatorsk and elsewhere in Ukraine during the two days of Russian strikes?

Russian missile, drone and bomb attacks killed and wounded civilians across several Ukrainian regions over two days. The strikes matter because they show the continuing scale of Russia’s air campaign, even as officials discuss diplomacy and a possible settlement.

Kramatorsk suffered one of the deadliest attacks. A strike tore through two buses, killing at least 35 people in the city and wounding 20. Officials said bodies were scattered across a debris-filled street. Pryluky lost 22 people in an earlier assault on a residential building. Kyiv reported four deaths and 19 injuries.

Other attacks killed two people in a southeastern Dnipropetrovsk village and one in Ivano-Frankivsk. A later drone attack in Kramatorsk also killed two people, according to city authorities. Electricity and water supplies were interrupted in Kyiv. Zelenskiy said Ukraine would seek stronger air defenses and continued support in talks with the United States and European partners.

How many people were killed or wounded, and which places suffered the heaviest losses?

The reported human toll was exceptionally high: 78 people killed and 215 wounded across Ukraine in two days. These figures included civilians hit in cities, villages and residential areas. The scale matters because the attacks were not confined to one battlefield location; they affected transport, homes, infrastructure and urban life.

Kramatorsk recorded 35 deaths after a strike hit two buses, with 20 people wounded. Pryluky suffered 22 deaths when a residential building was struck during the previous day’s mass drone and missile assault. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported four people killed and 19 wounded. Other deaths were reported in Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk.

The numbers came from Ukrainian officials and were reported during the attacks’ aftermath. City authorities later reported two more deaths in Kramatorsk from a new drone attack. The continuing strikes meant rescue, identification and infrastructure repairs were happening while further attacks remained possible.

What is Starlink, and how could expanded access help Ukraine detect or respond to Russian missile attacks?

Starlink is a satellite-based communications service. It can provide connectivity when ordinary networks are damaged or unavailable. In this conflict, that matters because Russian strikes have hit cities, power systems and other infrastructure, making reliable communication important for defense and coordination.

Zelenskiy asked the United States to open broader Starlink access for Ukraine. He said the service could help Ukraine target Russian ballistic-missile launchers. The basic mechanism is a communications link: forces can share information, coordinate units and pass targeting data more reliably. The article specifically connects expanded access with defending Ukrainian skies and improving Ukraine’s ability to strike launch sites.

The request remained politically disputed. Zelenskiy argued that stronger access could help force Putin toward negotiations. He also said the United States had opened the service while responding to Iran. The article does not state that Washington accepted the request, so expanded access was still an appeal rather than a confirmed policy change.

Why did Zelenskiy accuse the United States of inaction while it was also trying to mediate between Ukraine and Russia?

Zelenskiy accused Washington of inaction because he saw a gap between its diplomatic language and its practical choices. The United States was trying to mediate the war, but he said it was also pursuing economic ties with Russia. He argued that this combination weakened pressure on Moscow while Ukraine faced intensifying attacks.

His criticism focused on several requests. He urged Washington to expand Ukraine’s Starlink access, strengthen air defenses and increase sanctions pressure on Russia. He also challenged Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s description of the war as a stalemate. Zelenskiy asked how negotiations could be stalled while US and Russian officials discussed future economic projects.

The United States continued working toward a settlement, and Ukrainian negotiators were due to travel to the United States. Zelenskiy expected European partners to join those talks. His position was that diplomacy should be backed by stronger defensive support and economic pressure, rather than accompanied by discussions of renewed cooperation with Russia.

What consequences do repeated missile and drone strikes have for civilians, electricity, water supplies, and other infrastructure?

Repeated missile and drone strikes turn civilian systems into targets or casualties of war. They kill people in homes, buses and streets, while also damaging the networks that provide electricity and water. This matters because each attack can make daily life less safe and make emergency repairs harder.

In Kyiv, morning attacks killed four people and wounded 19. Officials reported interruptions to water and electricity supplies and said repairs would take time. Russian strikes have also targeted warehouses, data centers and Ukraine’s power grid. In Kramatorsk, a bus strike left bodies and debris across a street. Yandex said it could not yet determine whether damaged data-center equipment could be restored.

The article describes the attacks as continuing and intensifying, including a renewed campaign against the power grid ahead of winter. That creates pressure beyond the immediate death toll. Ukraine must protect airspace, restore services and repair infrastructure while facing near-constant attacks. Zelenskiy said air defenses would be raised in talks with US and European partners.

Why are possible US-Russia talks about restoring economic projects such as the Nord Stream pipelines controversial during the war?

The controversy comes from the timing and symbolism of possible economic cooperation with Russia during an active war. Nord Stream pipelines delivered Russian gas to Germany before Moscow invaded Ukraine. Discussing a US investor for those pipelines can appear inconsistent with efforts to pressure Russia and support Ukraine.

Reuters reported that senior Russian and US officials, including Jared Kushner, had held talks about bringing a US investor into the pipelines. At the same time, Russian strikes were killing civilians across Ukraine. Zelenskiy said one side could not negotiate future economic projects with Russia while the other described diplomacy as being in a stalemate.

The talks were reported, not presented as a completed agreement. Zelenskiy urged President Donald Trump to increase sanctions pressure on Russia and said Ukrainian negotiators would discuss air defenses in the United States. The dispute therefore reflects a wider question: whether economic engagement might support diplomacy or instead reduce pressure while attacks continue.

How do air-defense systems, drones, missiles, and economic sanctions shape the balance of power in a modern war?

Modern war combines physical attacks with defense and economic pressure. Missiles and drones can strike cities, transport and infrastructure. Air-defense systems try to protect people and vital facilities. Economic sanctions aim to increase the cost of continuing a war. Together, these tools influence both battlefield initiative and a government’s ability to sustain pressure.

The article shows the interaction clearly. Russia used drones, missiles and guided bombs against cities and villages. Ukraine asked for stronger air defenses and wider Starlink access, which Zelenskiy said could help target ballistic-missile launchers. Ukraine also said it was “mirroring” Russian attacks on data centers. Zelenskiy urged greater sanctions pressure on Russia.

The balance remains unsettled. Ukraine has sought to regain battlefield initiative, while Russian gains have slowed, but Moscow’s air war remains intense. Better defenses could reduce civilian losses and infrastructure damage; effective strikes could disrupt launchers and other systems. Sanctions and economic decisions may reinforce or weaken those military effects, depending on international policy.

Key Facts:

📌 Kramatorsk suffered a deadly strike that tore through two buses.

📌 Pryluky lost 22 people in an earlier residential-building attack.

📌 Zelenskiy reported 78 deaths and 215 injuries over two days.

📌 Ukraine reported 78 people killed and 215 wounded in two days.

📌 Kramatorsk recorded 35 deaths after strikes hit two buses.

📌 Kyiv reported four deaths and 19 wounded in morning attacks.

📌 Starlink is a satellite service Zelenskiy wants expanded for Ukraine.