Russia bombarding Ukraine with attacks as Trump envoy makes nuclear comment | World | News

Russia launched a huge attack on Ukraine overnight in spite of a warning from Donald Trump that an incursion of fighter jets into Estonian airspace on Friday risks “big trouble”. Vladimir Putin launched 40 missiles, cruise and ballistic, and around 580 drones of various types, Ukraine‘s President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The strikes targeted Dnipro and the wider region, as well as Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia regions, and communities in Poltava, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions, he added.

Three people were killed, and dozens injured. Russia reportedly aimed its missiles at infrastructure, residential areas and civilian enterprises. In Dnipro, a missile with cluster munitions directly struck an apartment building, Zelensky said. He added: “I thank all our warriors who defended the skies throughout the night, and our F-16 pilots, who once again proved their prowess today and effectively countered the cruise missile threat against Ukraine.”

The President passed his condolences to the families and loved ones of those affected, and said: “Every such strike is not a military necessity but a deliberate strategy by Russia to terrorize civilians and destroy our infrastructure.

“That is why a strong international response is needed. Ukraine has proven it can defend itself and Europe, but for a reliable shield, we must act together: strengthen air defence, increase weapons supplies, and expand sanctions against Russia’s military machine and the sectors that finance it.

“Every restriction on Russia saves lives. I thank everyone who helps and supports us.”

It comes as Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg has said that Putin would fold in a game of nuclear poker, and that Putin’s aggressive brags of being a strong nuclear power must be confronted.

Using the US President’s communications with Kim Jong Un as context, he told the Telegraph: “When the North Korean told him that they were a nuclear power, Trump’s response was, ‘So am I. I’ve got a red button too. It’s bigger than yours and mine works better’.

“Putin is a realist and if you raise the stakes, he’s going to fold.”

In August, Trump said he has ordered two nuclear submarines to “be positioned in the appropriate regions” in response to “highly provocative” comments by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The US President said he made the decision “just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that”.

He added: “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”