Russia Continues Bombing Ukraine ahead of Presidents' Meeting on Friday

Even with a bilateral meeting between President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this Friday, October 17, Russia is not silencing its attacks against Ukraine and its unarmed civilian population. There is no contribution or regret.

At least three people were killed and 17 others injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on October 14.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down or suppressed 69 out of 96 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones launched by Russia overnight, according to the Air Force. Twenty-seven drone strikes were recorded at seven locations, with drone fragments striking another location, according to the report.

Russian forces launched powerful glide bombs and drones against Ukraine’s second-largest city in overnight attacks, hitting a hospital and wounding seven people, an official said Tuesday.

The Russian attack on Kharkiv in Ukraine’s northeast, 25 miles from the Russian border, hit the city's main hospital, forcing the evacuation of 50 patients, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said. The attack’s main targets were energy facilities, Zelenskyy said, without providing details of what was hit.

“Every day, every night, Russia strikes power plants, power lines, and our (natural) gas facilities,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

Russian long-range strikes on Ukraine’s power grid are part of a campaign since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022 to disable Ukraine’s power supply, denying civilians heat and running water during the upcoming bitter winter.

Zelenskyy urged foreign countries to help blunt Russia’s long-range attacks by providing more air defense systems for the country, which is almost the size of Texas and hard to defend from the air in its entirety.

“We are counting on the actions of the U.S. and Europe, the G7, all partners who have these systems and can provide them to protect our people,” Zelenskyy said. “The world must force Moscow to sit down at the table for real negotiations.”

According to the UN, Russians also hit humanitarian mission trucks in the Bilozerska community. Russian forces deliberately targeted them with drones and artillery, said Ukrainian officials.

Four WFP-marked trucks delivering aid to civilians were hit. As a result, one vehicle was burned, another was severely damaged, and two others managed to escape the strikes. No one was injured.

“Today, the ‘second army’ of the world defeated several tons of humanitarian aid. Terrorists — there’s nothing more to say,” officials said.

Zelenskyy prepared to travel to Washington and ask President Trump for more American military help. The talks are expected to center on the potential US provision to Ukraine of sophisticated long-range weapons that can hit back at Russia.

Trump has warned Moscow that he may send Tomahawk cruise missiles for Ukraine to use. Such a move, previously ruled out by Washington for fear of escalating the war, would deepen tensions between the United States and Russia.

But it could provide leverage to help push Moscow into negotiations after Trump expressed frustration over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to budge on key aspects of a possible peace deal.

Tomahawks would sharpen Ukraine’s ability to fight back against Russia, though its long-range attacks are already taking a toll on Russian oil production, Ukrainian officials and foreign military analysts say.

Its strikes using newly developed long-range missiles and drones are causing significant gas shortages in Russia, according to Zelenskyy.