Russian military strikes on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia have left at least eight people dead, including three children, regional authorities reported on Saturday. The attack occurred just a day after diplomatic meetings in Miami between US, Ukrainian, and European officials seeking a resolution to the war.
Ivan Fedorov, co-chair of the Zaporizhzhia region’s Defence Council, stated that the death toll had risen to eight. He confirmed that among the victims were three minors, while at least 16 others were wounded and 12 individuals remain missing.
In a separate development, Seoul announced that its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, has returned home. The recall follows a deepening diplomatic row between South Korea and Ukraine over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has demanded an official apology from Kyiv after President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the prisoner transfer last month, a move Seoul argued endangered the families of the soldiers still in North Korea.
Also regarding international relations, US President Donald Trump announced yesterday that he had secured a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to increase diesel supplies to global markets. The agreement marks a significant shift in Washington’s stance toward Moscow and is seen as an effort to lower fuel prices ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections.
Earlier on Saturday, Ukrainian attack drones targeted a key railway bridge in Russia, highlighting the ongoing military exchanges despite the diplomatic efforts underway.
The POW diplomatic spat seems like a bizarre distraction from the actual war. Shouldn’t Seoul prioritize stopping the violence instead?
Heartbroken by the children in Zaporizhzhia. How can world leaders negotiate while civilians are being bombed like this?