More than 20 people have been killed in a Russian air strike on a village in eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, citing initial reports.
The victims were ordinary people collecting their pensions in the Donetsk settlement of Yarova, he stated. Donetsk regional leader Vadym Filkashkin noted that emergency services were at the scene, indicating that the number of wounded might match the death toll.
Yarova, situated to the north of Sloviansk, is notably close to the front line as Russian forces continue their slow advance in eastern Ukraine. If confirmed, the casualty figures would mark one of the heaviest attacks on civilians in recent weeks, occurring during the 42nd month since Russia initiated its full-scale invasion.
In addition to the tragedy in Yarova, at least 23 individuals were killed during overnight air strikes in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, at the end of August. This incident has raised alarm as it coincides with what Zelensky describes as Russia's most extensive assault on the capital to date, targeting significant government buildings and further intensifying the conflict.
Posting graphic footage from the attack on social media, Zelensky expressed that there were 'no words' to capture the horror of the recent strikes, while responses from Russia's military have yet to emerge. The president called for the world to react, emphasizing the need for engagement from both the United States and European nations, alongside the G20 group, to decisively address these ongoing aggressions.
