Ukraine accuses Russia of ‘war crime’ with military hospital strike
Ukraine accused Russia of committing a “war crime” during its weekend attack on the city of Kharkiv, as the US-backed ceasefire efforts continue to prove elusive. Follow the updates.
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Ukraine accused Russia of committing a “war crime” during its weekend attack on the city of Kharkiv, as the US-backed ceasefire efforts continue to prove elusive.
Six strikes hit the northeastern border city overnight Saturday into Sunday, wounding personnel undergoing treatment at a military hospital and killing at least two people in a residential building, according to Ukrainian officials.
A spokesperson for the Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office, Dmytro Chubenko, confirmed two deaths and said another 30 people were wounded, including children.
According to the emergency medical services, the “massive attack” reduced one home to a fiery ruin and damaged other houses, office buildings, cars and garages.
The Ukrainian army said that a military hospital building and nearby residential buildings “were damaged by a Shahed drone”.
“According to preliminary reports, there are casualties among the military personnel who were undergoing treatment at the medical centre,” it added.
Kyiv does not typically reveal information on military casualties and did not say how many soldiers were wounded.
It accused Russia of having carried out a “war crime” and “violating the norms of international humanitarian law”.
The latest deadly strikes come as US President Donald Trump’s administration pushes for a speedy end to the more than three-year war, holding talks with both Russia and Ukraine.
Moscow has rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional and full ceasefire, while Ukraine has accused Russia of dragging out talks with no intention of halting its offensive.
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‘FINISH THEM OFF’: PUTIN VIOLATES US-BROKERED PARTIAL CEASEFIRE
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to strike an energy facility in southern Ukraine, flagrantly flouting the partial ceasefire negotiated at the behest of US President Donald Trump.
Under the deal, both nations had agreed to halt strikes in the Black Sea and leave one another’s power infrastructure alone.
Putin appeared unrepentant about the strikes on the power grid of the southern Ukraine city of Kherson when speaking at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk.
“I was saying not so long ago: ‘We will finish them off.’ There are reasons to believe that we will finish them off,” Putin said.
“We are gradually, not as fast as some would like, but nevertheless persistently and confidently moving toward achieving all the goals stated at the beginning of the special operation.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the forum on Friday, Putin said Russia could discuss with the United States, Europe and Moscow’s allies, “under the auspices of the UN, the possibility of establishing a transitional administration in Ukraine.”
“What for? To organise a democratic presidential election that would result in the coming to power of a competent government that would have the confidence of the people, and then begin negotiations with these authorities on a peace agreement and sign legitimate documents,” Putin added.
‘PUTIN WILL DIE SOON’: ZELENSKY
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky predicted Vladimir Putin “will die soon” amid swirling speculation about the Russian leader’s ailing health — as he warned the US against helping Moscow escape from political and economic isolation.
“He [Putin] will die soon, and that’s a fact, and it will come to an end,” Mr Zelensky said in an interview with Eurovision News.
The Ukrainian leader’s blunt assessment follows years-long rumours about the Russian strongman’s health woes — including reported strokes, multiple bouts of cancer and even Parkinson’s disease.
Mr Zelensky offered up the prediction, too, as he pleaded with the US to “stay strong” — and not cave to the Kremlin’s demands during ongoing peace and ceasefire negotiations.
“It is very important that America does not help Putin to get out of this global isolation now,” Mr Zelensky said.
“I believe that this is dangerous. This is one of the most dangerous moments.”
He added that Mr Putin, who he predicted would remain in power until his death, fears the “destabilisation of his society” — and that Western nations could help intensify the pressure.
“If they push Putin, he will face destabilisation in his society, and he will fear it,” the Mr Zelensky said.
His remarks came as Mr Zelensky prepared to meet with European leaders in Paris on Thursday amid talks of securing a permanent ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Meanwhile, it comes just days after the US announced Ukraine and Russia had agreed to stop military strikes in the Black Sea.
Russia and Ukraine, though, quickly accused each other of breaking the terms of a tentative US-brokered deal — underscoring the challenges to negotiating a broader peace in the war.
PARIS SUMMIT AGREES TO RAMP UP RUSSIA SANCTIONS
European countries have agreed at a summit in Paris to ramp up rather than lift sanctions on Russia over its war against Ukraine, as Britain and France began sketching out plans to send a “reassurance” force after any peace.
President Emmanuel Macron hosted the meeting of Ukraine’s European allies and President Volodymyr Zelensky in the latest effort to agree a co-ordinated policy after Donald Trump shocked Europe by opening direct talks with the Kremlin.
“He really wants to divide Europe and America, Putin really wants that,” Mr Zelensky said after the summit, adding Kyiv wants Washington to be “stronger” towards the Kremlin.
He warned “everybody understood and understands that today Russia does not want any kind of peace”.
There appeared to be consensus around the table at the Elysee Palace that sanctions imposed against Russia should not be weakened, and rather intensified, until there is peace.
“There was complete clarity that now is not the time for the lifting of sanctions, quite the contrary – what we discussed is how we can increase sanctions to support the US initiative to bring Russia to the table,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said alongside Mr Zelensky.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said lifting sanctions would be a “grave mistake” and “makes no sense” without a truce.
EU DEBATES COALITION OF THE WILLING
Mr Macron said after the summit that France and Britain were leading efforts to send a “reassurance force” to Ukraine after any end to the fighting.
“It does not have unanimity today, but we do not need unanimity to do this,” he added, saying a Franco-British delegation would head to Ukraine in the coming days for talks.
Mr Macron emphasised that members of such a force would not be peacekeepers, deployed on the front line or any kind of substitute for the Ukrainian army.
Also, he said, not all of Ukraine’s European allies would be represented in the force, with some states not “having the capacity” and some reluctant due to the “political context”.
The Franco-British delegation would begin talks over where such a force could be deployed.
It would have the “character of deterrence against any potential Russian aggression”, he said.
Mr Macron added that the summit agreed that he and Starmer would together “co-pilot” Europe’s ‘coalition of action’ for stable and durable peace”.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has long made clear her reserves over the troop deployment plan, said she hoped the United States will be involved in the next European meeting on Ukraine and repeated Rome’s refusal to send troops to defend any peace deal.
US SOLDIERS KILLED NEAR BORDER OF RUSSIAN ALLY
Four US soldiers have been killed in Lithuania after disappearing while on a training exercise near the border with Belarus – a close ally of Russia.
The soldiers were last seen alive on Tuesday riding in a M88A2 Hercules armoured vehicle.
The troops were involved in an exercise at a military site near Pabrade in eastern Lithuania, just under 10km away from the Belarus border.
Local media are reporting the four soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, which is based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia, may have drowned after the vehicle became bogged in swampland.
Last week, Lithuania – a NATO member – announced it was following in the footsteps of Poland and placing mines along the borders it shares with Belarus.
NATO’s Secretary-general Mark Rutte confirmed the deaths.
“This is still early news so we do not know the details,” Mr Rutte told reporters in Poland. “This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones.”
On a separate occasion on the same day, Mr Rutte had made it clear Russia must steer well clear of their member states during a joint press conference held with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
“If anyone were to miscalculate and think they can get away with an attack on Poland or on any other ally, they will be met with the full force of this fierce alliance,” Mr Rutte said.
“Our reaction will be devastating. This has to be very clear to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and anyone else who wants to attack us.”
The US Army has not yet commented on the deaths, however they did thank the Lithuanians for assisting with the search.
“I would like to personally thank the Lithuanian Armed Forces and first responders who quickly came to our aid in our search operations,” Lieutenant General Charles Costanza, V Corps commanding general, said in a statement.
“It’s this kind of teamwork and support that exemplifies the importance of our partnership and our humanity regardless of what flags we wear on our shoulders.”
Around 16,000 US troops are currently deployed to the region with the presence expanded since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022.
Units have spent the time training in not just Lithuania but also nearby countries including Poland and other Baltic nations.
“We truly appreciate and are grateful for the US presence here. We have created all the conditions for them to increase their military readiness,” Giedrimas Jeglinskas, chairman of Lithuania’s National Security and Defence Committee, said in a statement.
“Such events do indeed occur during large-scale joint military exercises, not only among the Americans, but also in other armies.
“The aim is to reduce the likelihood of such things, but such things are not impossible. If there was some kind of accident, lessons are learned, and safety requirements are increased.”
Originally published as Ukraine accuses Russia of ‘war crime’ with military hospital strike
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