Zelensky accuses US of being unprepared to help Ukraine after deadly Russian strikes
After attacks in Kramatorsk and Pryluky, Zelensky said 78 people were killed and 215 wounded over two days.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the United States of inaction and a lack of preparedness to help Ukraine after a Russian strike in the east of the country killed at least 35 people. The attack struck two buses in Kramatorsk, and came amid a wave of strikes across Ukraine.
Hours after the blows in Kramatorsk, Zelensky publicly criticised Washington for continuing economic ties with Russia while at the same time claiming to mediate in a war that has lasted more than four years. He argued that such links undermined effective support for Kyiv.
The Kramatorsk attack followed a separate, massive Russian strike the previous day timed to coincide with Vladimir Putin's 74th birthday, when a single residential building in Pryluky was hit and 22 people were killed.
Casualties and impact
Zelensky said that 78 people were killed and 215 were wounded in attacks across Ukraine over the past two days. The president's figures underline the human cost of the recent escalation and have intensified calls in Kyiv for swifter and stronger support from international partners.
Ukrainian officials say the strikes targeted civilian areas and transport, raising concerns about the protection of non-combatants. Kyiv has repeatedly urged partners to tighten economic and political pressure on Moscow as part of a broader effort to curb further attacks.
The criticism of the United States risks adding strain to relations at a moment when diplomatic backing and military supplies remain central to Ukraine's defence. Kyiv's leadership insists that political declarations must be matched by concrete measures that reduce Russia's ability to sustain its campaign.
Photo: DPA)
