Russia launched a large-scale attack on the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk early Tuesday, following talks between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Washington. The Ukrainian air force said Moscow hit energy facilities with 270 drones and 10 missiles, resulting in significant damage and power outages.
Kremenchuk Mayor Vitalii Maletskyi called the attack a sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace. “Once again, the world has seen that Putin does not want peace — he wants to destroy Ukraine,” Maletskyi said. The mayor warned local residents to avoid unexploded cluster munitions from Russian missiles.
The Ukrainian air force downed 230 of the drones, but 16 sites were struck. Nearly 1,500 households lost electricity, and energy facilities were targeted. A Tuesday morning drone attack also damaged infrastructure in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, leaving over 30,000 households without power.
Russia claimed that Ukraine attacked a Russian oil refinery, while Ukrainian officials denied this. The conflict continues with both sides targeting each other’s infrastructure, including oil facilities on their respective territories.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-bombards-ukrainian-city-hours-after-washington-summit-2025-08-19