Russia Strikes Kill 25 in Ukraine as Trump Shortens Moscow Deadline

Russia reiterated its call for peace in Ukraine on Tuesday, just hours after launching a series of deadly attacks that claimed at least 25 lives, including a 23-year-old pregnant woman and over a dozen prisoners. These strikes coincided with escalating diplomatic pressure from former US President Donald Trump, who sharply reduced his timeline for the Kremlin to end its military campaign or face fresh sanctions.

Civilian and Prison Casualties

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes, especially the targeting of a penal colony in Bilenke, in the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region, which resulted in 16 deaths and 43 injuries. Ukraine’s Justice Ministry stated the facility was struck by four glide bombs.

“It was a deliberate strike, intentional, not accidental. The Russians could not have been unaware that they were targeting civilians,” Zelensky stated.

The Kremlin denied responsibility, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying:

“The Russian army does not strike civilian targets.”

Photographs from the scene revealed blown-out windows, scattered debris, and rescue workers combing through the rubble. Officials confirmed that 274 inmates were being held at the facility at the time, with no Russian POWs among them.

A local resident, Nadiya, aged 74, told AFP:

“At about 10 minutes to six, a neighbour called and said: ‘Come quickly, your roof is gone.’ Not a single window is intact.”

Trump’s Ultimatum to Moscow

Amid the violence, Donald Trump twice revised his timeline for Russia to end the war, initially trimming it from 50 days to 10–12 days, before firmly setting a 10-day deadline.

“Tariffs and stuff” may follow if Moscow fails to comply, Trump warned, though he admitted uncertainty over whether such measures would prove effective.

Trump noted he had not heard from Vladimir Putin following the ultimatum:

“It’s a shame,” he said while flying back from a visit to Scotland.

Moscow responded diplomatically, with Peskov stating:

“We’ve taken note. Russia remains committed to a peaceful resolution that protects our interests.”

Wider Assaults and Aftermath

The Ukrainian air force reported 37 drones and 2 missiles launched by Russia overnight into Tuesday, of which 32 drones were intercepted. Other key incidents included:

• Hospital Bombing in Kamyanske, Dnipropetrovsk region:
  • 3 killed, including pregnant woman Diana (aged 23)
  • 22 injured
• Kharkiv Region:
  • 6 killed in separate strikes
• Southern Russia (Rostov region):
  • Ukrainian drone attack killed 1 person

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga accused Putin of prolonging the war, stating:

“He will only end his terror if we break the spine of his economy.”

He urged Western allies to tighten sanctions and deny Moscow any route to economic resilience.

Russian Military Claims

Despite international condemnation, Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed new territorial gains on Tuesday, seizing:

• One village in the Donetsk region
• Another in the Zaporizhzhia region

The latest prison strike also marked the third anniversary of a previous controversial attack on the Olenivka detention centre in Russian-occupied Donetsk, where dozens of Ukrainian soldiers were killed under disputed circumstances.

As both sides continue to trade blame, tensions are again escalating amid new waves of violence and diplomatic manoeuvring.