A residential building damaged by a Russian strike on the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine, August 30, 2025

Friday’s Coverage: Russia Murders 23+ in Kyiv

UPDATE 1852 GMT:

Unnamed “senior White House officials” are telling the media that the Trump Administration is impatient with European leaders pushing Ukraine to hold out for a “better deal” over an end to Russia’s 42-month full-scale invasion.

“The Europeans don’t get to prolong this war and backdoor unreasonable expectations, while also expecting America to bear the cost,” one senior White House official said. “If Europe wants to escalate this war, that will be up to them. But they will be hopelessly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”

Another official said Donald Trump is considering a step back from diplomatic efforts until one or both sides demonstrates greater flexibility: “We are going to sit back and watch. Let them fight it out for a while and see what happens.”

Christopher Miller of the Financial Times explains that the Trump officials may be covering for their failure to get Vladmir Putin to cease fire, halt attacks on Ukrainian civilians, or meet Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky:

UPDATE 1352 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed the killing of former Parliament Speaker Andrii Parubii in Lviv on Saturday.

Police are searching for the gunman as prosecutors open a murder investigation.

Zelensky condemned the “horrific murder” and said “all necessary forces and means” will be used in the investigation.

Parubiy, 54, was one of the leaders of the Maidan Revolution demonstrations in 2013-2014 that prompted pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych to flee. He was Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council from February to August 2014 and Parliament Speaker from April 2016 to August 2019.

UPDATE 0925 GMT:

At least three civilians were murdered and at least 45 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 510 of 537 drones, six of eight ballistic missiles, and 32 of 37 cruise missiles fired by Russia overnight. The other drones and missiles struck seven different locations.

In the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine, one civilian was killed and 28 injured (see Original Entry). Around 25,000 consumers were left without electricity.

In the Donetsk region in the east, one person was slain and six wounded.

In the Kherson region in the south, one person was killed and seven injured. Two high-rise buildings, three houses, a cell tower, a water tower, a gas pipeline, and cars were damaged.

Casualties were also reported in the Mykolaiv and Sumy regions.

UPDATE 0918 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has commented on the latest Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians:

As Russia once again shows its utter disregard for words, we count on real action. It is absolutely clear that Moscow used the time meant for preparing a leaders-level meeting to organize new massive attacks.

The only way to reopen a window of opportunity for diplomacy is through tough measures against all those bankrolling the Russian army and effective sanctions against Moscow itself – banking and energy sanctions. This war won’t stop with political statements alone; real steps are needed.

UPDATE 0609 GMT:

The US State Department has approved sales of $329 million of military equipment to Ukraine.

The package includes components for the upkeep of Patriot air defense systems and Starlink terminals.

UPDATE 0555 GMT:

Ukrainian drones struck oil refineries in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and Samara region overnight, said the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi.

Residents heard explosions in Krasnodar Krai in southwest Russia around 2:30 a.m. Videos posted to social media showed large blazes at both oil refineries.

“Two industry sources” say oil processing at Russia’s Kuibyshevsk refinery has been suspended since Ukrainian drone attacks damaged key equipment on Thursday.

Both of the main crude distillation units of the refinery, located in the Samara region, have been taken taken offline. Some secondary units are affected.

The complex has an annual processing capacity of 7 million metric tons of oil, or around 140,000 barrels per day.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Russia has launched another massive attack on civilians across Ukraine, even as the Trump Administration returned to the threat of toughened sanctions.

The missile and drone strikes murdered at least one civilian in the Zaporizhzhia region in southern Ukraine and two in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

At least 24 people, including three children, were injured in Zaporizhzhia. Eight of the victim, including two of the children, were hospitalized. At least 40 homes, 14 apartment buildings, and industrial facilities were damaged.

The assault came hours after the UN Security Council convened over Russia’s deadly attacks on Kyiv on Thursday. US diplomat John Kelley said the assaults “cast doubt on the seriousness of Russia’s desire for peace….These strikes on civilian areas must stop immediately”. Insisting that Vladimir Putin must meet Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, he said Washington could impose new sanctions on Russia.

The toll from the Kyiv strikes rose to 25 on Friday, including four children, and 63 injured, including 11 juveniles. Zelensky gave the latest figures and said, “An absolutely despicable attack that demonstrates Putin’s true intentions – to continue killing rather than take steps towards peace.”

Frustrated that the Kremlin would not agree to a ceasefire, Donald Trump declared a 50-day deadline and then reduced it to 10 days for the attacks to stop, otherwise he would authorize the sanctions on Russia and its trading partners such as China and India.

However, after welcoming Putin in Alaska on August 15, Trump dropped the demand for a ceasefire and stopped referring to sanctions.

France and Germany Step Up Support for Kyiv

At the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers, France and Germany pledged to provide more air defense systems for Ukraine’s protection.

The two countries said in a statement, “Despite intensive international diplomatic efforts, Russia shows no intention to end its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

At the joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron said Ukraine must have strong security guarantees for a just and lasting peace.

He warned that if Putin missed a Monday deadline to commit to negotiations, including talks with Zelensky, it would be another example of the Russian leader trying to “play” Donald Trump —-an example which could not go unanswered and should prompt further sanctions.

Merz said the invasion could go on for “many months” with Putin “clearly unwilling” to meet Zelensky.

“Frankly, this doesn’t surprise me, because it’s part of the Russian president’s strategy to proceed in the same way,” he explained.

After a meeting of European Union defense ministers in Copenhagen, the EU’s foreign policy head Kaja Kallas has condemned Russia’s attacks on Kyiv as a “deliberate choice” to “escalate and mock the peace efforts.”

The past weeks, we have seen diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war, and it’s clear that Europe wants peace, America wants peace, Ukraine wants peace. Who doesn’t want peace is Russia.

A statement by the EU26 — the bloc’s 27 members minus Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is a long-time ally of Vladimir Putin — emphasized, “These crimes only reinforce our determination and resolve to support Ukraine and its people in their defence against Russia and their pursuit of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.”

Ukraine-Europe Talks for Security Guarantees

Zelensky said he expects to continue talks with European leaders next week on “NATO-like” commitments to protect Ukraine: “We want legally binding security guarantees.”

The President added, “We need the architecture to be clear to everyone. Then we want to connect with President Trump during a meeting…and tell him how we see it.”

Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak met Trump’s envoy, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, on Friday. He told Witkoff about “all the war crimes that Russia commits daily against our cities and communities”: “Unfortunately, Russia is not doing anything necessary to end the war and is obviously prolonging the hostilities.”

Witkoff, who has been a conduit for the Kremlin’s demands, said the meeting was “very productive and constructive” but did not make any commitment to protect Ukrainians.

Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance posted a lengthy rant about a Politico article, based on remarks from multiple US officials, that Witkoff’s “inexperience shines through”.

[Witkoff] has refused to consult with experts and allies, leaving him uninformed at times and unprepared at others, according to seven people familiar with internal discussions. Two said he misses the mark by viewing the conflict through a real estate lens, like a land dispute.