(NEW YORK) –At least 20 people have died and 55 are injured as the casualties continue to rise Saturday following an overnight blitz by Russia near Donetsk in Ukraine, officials said.
“Last night, the Russian army fired two ballistic missiles at the center of Dobropillya in the Donetsk region,” according to a translated statement on Telegram from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Saturday morning. “After our services arrived at the scene, they launched another strike, deliberately targeting rescuers. A vile and inhumane tactic for intimidation that the Russians often resort to.
Zelenskyy confirmed that several children were among those injured, while a total of eight five-story buildings were damaged.
“I thank all emergency services, police, the State Emergency Service, and doctors who, despite the threat of repeated strikes, are not afraid and are saving people from this terror. To everyone who protects life, risking their own,” Zelenskyy said. “Such strikes show that Russia’s goals are unchanged. Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and tighten sanctions against Russia. Everything that helps Putin finance the war must break down.”
These latest strikes come just over 24 hours after the United States paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine. This means Ukrainian forces have now lost access to Maxar satellite imagery, a Ukrainian military source told ABC News as Russia continued to carry out attacks on the country this week.
Ukrainian access to U.S. government-purchased commercial satellite imagery, which includes Maxar, was suspended, a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) spokesperson told ABC News.
“In accordance with the Administration’s directive on support to Ukraine, NGA has temporarily suspended access to the Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery system, or GEGD, which is the primary portal for access to U.S. government-purchased commercial imagery,” an NGA spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
Starlink remains operational, and Ukraine continues to use the company’s satellite systems, a U.S. official told ABC News.
Ukraine’s European allies had harsh words for Russia and President Donald Trump’s stance on the war following the night of deadly strikes.
“This is what happens when someone appeases barbarians. More bombs, more aggression, more victims. Another tragic night in Ukraine,” Polish President Donald Tusk posted to X.
The European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs, Kaja Kallas, said, “Russian missiles keep relentlessly falling on Ukraine, bringing more death and more destruction. Once again, Putin shows he has no interest in peace. We must step up our military support – otherwise, even more Ukrainian civilians will pay the highest price.”
Russia has dramatically increased the number of drones launched against Ukrainian cities in recent months.
It now appears likely that Russia will try to increase these attacks at a critical time as the end of U.S. intelligence sharing and supplies of anti-aircraft missiles could weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend against them.
With Russian missiles and drone attacks a nightly occurrence in Ukraine, the country has become largely reliant on Western anti-air weapons to defeat incoming projectiles.
U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine had allowed Kyiv to give warnings to targeted areas ahead of Russian drone and missile strikes, tracking Russian aircraft taking off, drones being launched and missiles being fired.
Trump has repeatedly — and falsely — blamed Ukraine for starting the war with Russia while seeking to undermine Zelenskyy’s legitimacy as president. The White House is pushing Kyiv to accept a deal to end the fighting and to sign an agreement giving the U.S. access to Ukrainian mineral resources.
ABC News’ Morgan Winsor and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
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