Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky listens as Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, December 28, 2025

EA-Times Radio VideoCast: Russia Wobbles Over Its Invasion of Ukraine

Wednesday’s Coverage: Russia Murders 4, Including 3 Toddlers, Near Kharkiv

UPDATE 0941 GMT:

Almost 300,000 people are without power or water in Odesa city in southern Ukraine, following Russia’s overnight strikes.

An infrastructure facility was set afire and damaged. The roof of a 9-story residential building was destroyed. Market pavilions and a supermarket were damaged, as one person was injured.

In Kyiv, almost 2,600 buildings lost heating. A 45-year-old man was hospitalized in serious condition.

Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted:

Civilians were injured, including a toddler and a 4-year-old child.

No one can close eyes to Russian terror. It is happening right now in the middle of Europe. Despite the Olympic Truce and US-led peace efforts.

UPDATE 0733 GMT:

Ukraine has struck one of Russia’s largest military depots, in the Volgograd region southeast of Moscow and 347 km (215 miles) from the border.

The JSC Progress Plant produces high-tech aviation and missile control systems and equipment for gas and oil pipelines. The plant was reportedly hit in June 2025 and December 2024.

UPDATE 0624 GMT:

Russia launched intense missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian areas overnight.

Ukraine’s Air Force warned around 2:20 a.m. that Russian ballistic missiles were heading towards Kyiv. Journalists in the capital soon reported loud explosions and power outages. Less than 30 minutes later, Russian attack drones struck.

At least two people have been wounded.

The Air Force also warned that Russian missiles were targeting the cities of Odesa, Dnipro, and Pavlohrad.

Attacks are ongoing.

On Wednesday, four civilians were murdered by Russian attacks on the Dnipropetrovsk region in south-central Ukraine.

The strikes were on three small settlements. In one village, a man was killed and his wife wounded. In another, a couple and their 45-year-old son were slain.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has clarified that national elections will only be held after a ceasefire pausing Russia’s 4-year full-scale invasion.

Zelensky told reporters that security guarantees must be in place, pushing back claims that Kyiv was preparing a vote under Trump Administration. pressure.

“I have said it’s very simple to do: establish a ceasefire, and there will be elections,” he said. If Russia agreed, it might be possible to “end hostilities by summer”.

Ukrainian and European officials had said that Presidential elections were being prepared alongside a referendum on any deal to end Russia’s invasion. They claimed Zelensky intended to announce the plan on February 24, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

However, an official in Zelensky’s circle pushed back, “As long as there is no security, there will be no announcements.”

Ukraine’s Consetitution prohibits elections under martial law. A vote also faces the challenges of millions of displaced Ukrainians and around 20% of the country under Russian occupation.

Ukrainian and Western officials said the Trump Administration’s ultimatum for an end to the invasion by June is unlikely to hold, as it hinges on progress with Vladimir Putin towards an end of his invasion.

The President said, “It depends not only on Ukraine, but also on America, which must exert pressure – excuse me for saying so, but there is no other way: it must exert pressure on Russia.”

Zelensky said Ukraine is ready for a third set of Ukraine-Russia-US talks next Tuesday or Wednesday. However, Moscow has yet to issue a statement, including whether it will attend discussions in the US.