Zelensky Sounds Alarm: Russia Prepares for Catastrophic Assault as Civilian Death Toll Rises

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a stark warning about an impending massive attack from Russian forces, as recent strikes across different regions resulted in at least six civilian deaths.

On Saturday, Russian forces unleashed glide bombs on the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, killing five and injuring ten, according to Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov's report on Telegram. A separate bomb attack near the Russian border claimed one life on the outskirts of Sumy.

In the Kherson region, a drone strike on a village north of Kherson city resulted in one fatality, as reported by regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

In his nightly address, Zelensky emphasized the urgency of heeding air raid warnings, stating, "Tonight and in the coming hours, it is especially important to pay close attention to air raid warnings. The Russians have prepared for a massive attack. Please take care of yourselves."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously threatened “massive coordinated strikes on a regular basis” in retaliation for Ukraine's attacks on a Moscow oil refinery, marking the second such incident this week.

Hundreds of drones targeted Moscow on Friday night, striking the capital's oil refinery in one of the most significant aerial assaults during the ongoing conflict.

Zelensky has called on authorities in Belarus for the second consecutive day to dismantle relay stations that he claims facilitate Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian territory.

Belarus, under President Alexander Lukashenko's long-standing rule, has been a close ally of Moscow throughout the war against Ukraine and permitted the Kremlin to utilize its territory for the February 2022 invasion.

Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994, has repeatedly expressed a desire to avoid further involvement in the conflict. However, Zelensky has urged Belarus to demonstrate that it will not directly support Russia's military efforts.

While not directly naming Lukashenko in his address, Zelensky referenced his contested re-election and stated that Ukraine is aware of four relay stations in Belarus aiding Russian military operations.

“Belarus still has time to dismantle this equipment. We also know about every factory in Belarus that works for Russia and supports the war," he declared.

“Ukraine does not want this and we have warned the de facto leadership of Belarus which has influence over these developments,” he added.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russia since the early days of the war, reported that external power had been restored after relying on diesel generators for a period.

Each side has accused the other of actions that jeopardize nuclear safety at the facility. A statement from the plant's Russian management confirmed normal operations following the restoration of external power, with radiation levels reported as normal.

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the restoration of external power after a four-and-a-half-hour outage.

Ukraine's energy ministry attributed the disconnection to Russian military activity, marking the 20th such incident since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

The plant, which houses six reactors and is Europe's largest, does not generate electricity but requires external power to keep nuclear fuel cool.

In a separate development, Russia released 24 Filipinos who had been detained for months without charges in a Siberian city after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raised concerns during talks with President Vladimir Putin.

The group arrived in Manila on two flights early Sunday morning, with Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro welcoming them. Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac greeted the final batch before dawn and provided unspecified aid to the workers detained in a region known for extreme winter conditions.

Russian guided bombs struck an apartment block in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, resulting in at least one death and nine injuries, including a six-year-old child.

A body was recovered from the rubble hours after the attack, as reported by Mayor Ihor Terekhov on Telegram. The bombs hit a low-rise building in Kharkiv's Kholodnohirskiy district early Saturday morning. Regional administration head Oleh Syniehubov confirmed nine injuries, with five requiring hospitalization.

Elsewhere in Kharkiv, a Russian drone targeted a civilian vehicle on Friday evening, killing a man and injuring the woman driving.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost off-site power for the 20th time during the conflict due to issues with internal power lines affecting its remaining 330 kV connection.

Emergency diesel generators were activated to maintain reactor cooling and essential nuclear safety functions, according to an agency post on X.

The European Union has no intention of mediating peace talks to resolve the war in Ukraine, siding firmly with Kyiv, European Council President Antonio Costa stated.

A diplomatic overture by Costa revealed divisions among EU leaders regarding relations with Russia. He noted there were "no credible signs" that Russia sought serious negotiations.

"What I'm doing through my office is to establish a diplomatic channel because we cannot depend only on others to interpret Russian messages and we must be able to convey to Russia our own messages," Costa explained.

Lavrov warned that escalating tensions between Russia and NATO could lead to catastrophic nuclear exchanges.

“A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia could rapidly escalate into an exchange of nuclear strikes, with catastrophic consequences,” he stated in an article published on the Russian foreign ministry’s website.

“Under the banner of ‘strategic autonomy,’ Europe is witnessing a significant build-up of its military capabilities, including in the nuclear sphere.”

“Paris's intention to extend its ‘nuclear umbrella’ to several EU and NATO member states is a source of deep concern.”

“This will do nothing to strengthen the security of France itself or the recipients of its so-called protection.”

Zelensky accepted an offer from Brazilian leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to assist in pursuing a peace deal regarding Russia's war in Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian presidential adviser.

The two leaders met during the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, where Zelensky urged allies to increase pressure on Russia to end the ongoing conflict.

The presidents discussed potential diplomatic reactivations, with Lula proposing several ideas including outreach to permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. Presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn shared that they agreed to pursue these ideas and discuss outcomes later.

Britain has tested new long-range strike weapons aimed at delivering them to Ukraine within months. The initiative seeks to produce munitions more quickly and affordably than existing systems like Storm Shadow missiles.

New systems capable of hitting targets at least 500 km away with a 225 kg warhead have been tested at a range in the Hebrides, with further trials planned by the UK government.

The Ministry of Defence challenged firms to develop weapons exceeding 600 km per hour at around £400,000 per unit while producing at least 20 per month following an order.

A total of 27 industry bids were received, leading to "Dragon's Den"-style pitches last February. Six companies were awarded contracts worth approximately £5 million each for design and testing within seven months.

By last December, only three suppliers remained: MBDA UK (maker of Storm Shadow), MGI Engineering (a UK SME with Formula 1 technology experience), and Rotron Aerospace (another UK SME with MoD collaboration history).