Russian missile strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dobropillia overnight have killed 11 people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday, describing the attack as further proof that Russia’s objectives remain unchanged. The strikes, which also left over 30 people injured, including five children, have heightened concerns as Ukraine faces growing military pressure while awaiting renewed U.S. support.

Escalating Russian Attacks Amid U.S. Aid Freeze

The attacks come at a pivotal moment in the war, with the United States pausing military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine as part of efforts to pressure Kyiv into negotiations for a peace deal. The suspension has left Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian assaults, further tilting the battlefield in Moscow’s favor.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump—who has been pushing for a ceasefire—suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin was merely responding to battlefield conditions, saying he was “doing what anybody else would do” in taking advantage of Ukraine’s weakened position.

Zelensky condemned the strikes as “a vile and inhumane tactic of intimidation”, calling for stronger air defenses and tougher sanctions against Russia.

“Everything that helps Putin finance the war must break,” Zelensky stated, emphasizing the need for continued international pressure.

Deadly Toll Across Ukraine

Russian attacks in the past 24 hours have killed at least 23 people and wounded over 50 others in eastern and southern Ukraine, local officials reported.

• In Donetsk, Russian strikes killed nine people and injured 13.
• A drone attack in the Kharkiv region killed three people and wounded seven.
• In Kherson, five people were injured in Russian strikes.

Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted 79 out of 145 drones launched by Russia overnight, while at least 54 drones did not reach their intended targets. Additionally, Russian forces fired three missiles, with Ukraine’s defenses managing to intercept one.

The strikes come just days after a devastating Russian airstrike on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown, adding to the growing toll on Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine’s Kursk Incursion Under Pressure

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military is facing mounting pressure in the Russian region of Kursk, where its forces are at risk of losing a key logistical route. Ukrainian and Russian military bloggers have reported a deteriorating situation following the arrival of 12,000 North Korean troops, which have bolstered Russia’s efforts to reclaim lost ground.

Ukraine had launched a surprise incursion into Kursk in August, marking the first foreign invasion of Russian territory since World War II. The move was designed to divert Russian forces from eastern Ukraine and strengthen Kyiv’s position in future ceasefire talks.

However, Ukraine has now lost nearly half of the territory it had seized in Kursk, and Russian forces have advanced into Ukraine’s Sumy region, potentially cutting off Ukrainian troops still operating in Kursk.

With the battlefield shifting and the future of U.S. military aid uncertain, Ukraine faces an increasingly difficult fight to maintain its defensive lines while keeping pressure on Russia’s own borders.

Zelensky is set to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next week to discuss Kyiv’s military needs and ongoing negotiations with the United States, signaling a critical moment in the war’s trajectory.

In a major crackdown on the drug trade, France will transfer 200 of its most dangerous drug traffickers to high-security prisons, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced on Thursday. The move is aimed at preventing incarcerated traffickers from continuing their criminal operations from behind bars.

Speaking in an interview with France 2, Darmanin emphasized his commitment to tackling the drug trade, which has been a key priority since he assumed the role in December. He described the measure as a decisive strike against organized crime, stating, “I have decided to strike hard.”

The inmates will be transferred to two maximum-security facilities: Vendin-le-Vieil prison in the northern Pas-de-Calais department and Condé-sur-Sarthe prison in the western Orne department. The first group will be relocated by late July, while the second transfer will be completed by mid-October.

“That makes 200 drug traffickers, who by October 15, will be completely isolated from the rest of society,” Darmanin said, highlighting that the prisons will undergo renovations to make them “completely hermetic”—ensuring absolute isolation from external networks.

The Justice Minister’s plan involves relocating inmates within the French prison system to free up space at the two designated facilities. However, he assured that the most dangerous inmates, including Islamist terrorists and high-risk criminals, would remain in place. “We will leave the most dangerous people in place,” he confirmed.

Darmanin’s initiative follows his recent consultations with European counterparts on strategies to combat drug trafficking. Last month, he visited Italy to tour high-security prisons and met with Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio and National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo to discuss effective measures.

Drug-related violence remains a significant concern in France. According to the French Ministry of the Interior, 110 people were killed and 341 others injured in drug-related incidents last year alone. The government hopes that isolating key traffickers will help curb criminal activities linked to the illicit drug trade.

The new measures are part of a broader effort by the French government to strengthen law enforcement and dismantle drug networks. Darmanin has vowed to continue pushing for stricter policies and increased cooperation with European partners in the fight against organized crime.

As Ukraine continues to battle Russia’s invasion, many women who have lost their loved ones in the war are finding solace in art. Through an initiative called “She is Alive: Love Stories,” grieving wives and mothers are expressing their sorrow, resilience, and love for their fallen family members on canvas.

A Mother’s Pain, A Nation’s Struggle

Svitlana Poltavska, a resident of Troitske in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, knows firsthand the horrors of Russian occupation. When the war began in February 2022, her husband, a soldier in the State Border Guard Service, was sent to the front lines and was killed within days.

Left alone with her two children, Svitlana endured four months under Russian occupation, subjected to violent searches and intimidation. Russian soldiers repeatedly told her to “say thank you” for not harming her children—yet.

“There is nothing human in the Russian army, only total cruelty,” Svitlana said, recalling how she shielded her children from the abuse she suffered.

She eventually managed to escape in mid-2022 and later joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine, determined to defend her country in honor of her late husband.

“A truce at any price is impossible because the price has already been set—the lives of our men, our sons. And there will never be forgiveness for this,” she said.

Painting as a Form of Healing

Like many women in Ukraine, Svitlana found solace in art therapy. The “She is Alive: Love Stories” project provides a safe space for women who have lost their husbands or sons, helping them channel their grief into painting.

“I never painted before, but now it’s my way of showing my love for my husband,” she said, showcasing a painting where she depicted him as a guardian angel watching over their children.

Olena Sokalska, the project’s founder, explains that the initiative allows women to share their pain without words.

“They come here to paint, to talk, to celebrate birthdays. Each of them understands the pain of losing a loved one,” she said.

With over 300 paintings created so far, each piece represents a family torn apart by war. However, the demand for support far exceeds capacity—3,000 women remain on a waiting list for art therapy sessions.

A Son Lost, A Future Stolen

Among the grieving mothers is Vita Kharchuk from Kyiv, whose 22-year-old son Vitaliy was a soldier in the Azov regiment defending Mariupol.

Vitaliy sent his mother a photo on February 26, 2022, just two days after Russia’s full-scale invasion. In it, he is smiling, carrying an NLAW anti-tank weapon on his shoulder. Soon after, he was killed in combat.

“I lost my child, and a child is a future,” Vita said, tears streaming down her face. “I will never have grandchildren, never have anything.”

Vitaliy was later identified in a mass grave, recognized only by his tattoos. His dream, Vita recalls, was to marry his fiancée and have three children.

Now, she paints in his memory, finding comfort among women who share her pain.

A Shared Grief, An Unbreakable Spirit

For many women in Ukraine, painting is more than art—it is survival. It is a way to cope with a war that has taken their loved ones and reshaped their lives forever.

Here, in a small studio, they do not need to explain their pain. They all know it too well. Their art tells the stories of the men they lost, the futures stolen, and the sacrifices made in the fight for Ukraine’s survival.