Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky slams US and says Kyiv needs Starlink after Putin’s ‘horrifying’ bus attack

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky slams US and says Kyiv needs Starlink after Putin’s ‘horrifying’ bus attack US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting Ukrainian representatives in Miami on Friday - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the US of being unwilling to help Ukraine defend itself after a Russian bomb attack on two passenger buses killed at least 35 people. The attack, which struck public buses in the embattled city of Kramatorsk, came amid a wave of Russian strikes across Ukraine that killed 78 people and injured 215 over two days, according to Zelensky. Speaking to reporters in Pryluky, the Ukrainian leader criticised Washington for pursuing economic ties with Moscow while attempting to broker an end to the war, now in its fifth year. He urged the US to expand Ukraine’s access to the Starlink satellite service to help its forces target Russian ballistic missile launchers. “Open Starlink for Ukraine. You did open it when you were responding to Iran ... I’ve said quite openly – give it to us, help us defend our skies and dominate there. And then Putin will sit down at the negotiating table,” he said. It comes as Ukrainian negotiators will travel to the US on Friday and Saturday for talks, Zelensky added, urging Donald Trump to increase sanction pressure on Russia. Russian air strike kills one, injures two in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, official says A Russian air strike has killed one person and injured two others in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, acting governor Mykhailo Semikin said on Telegram on Friday. Ed Miliband says UK 'will not relent in its support for Ukraine' UK foreign secretary Ed Miliband visited the site of the Russian strike in Pryluky along with Volodymyr Zelensky, where he condemned Vladimir Putin's "evil intent and evil strategy". He announced "more sanctions on Russia, on the war machine of Putin, on the shadow fleet, on the oil companies, on the crypto, on the financing of the war". “My message to Putin is clear – you cannot wait us out. Until you choose the path of peace, the UK will not relent in its support for Ukraine, our values, or our national security. You will remain a pariah,” he said. They visited a site where 22 people, including five children, were killed in a single strike on a five-storey block of flats in Pryluky on Wednesday. The sanctions package, which includes around 40 targets across Russia’s financial, oil and technology sectors, is designed to disrupt Russia’s supply chain and cut off financing streams. Zelensky calls for US to expand Starlink access after deadly bus strikes Volodymyr Zelensky urged the US to accede to his request to expand Ukraine’s access to its Starlink satellite service in order to better target Russian ballistic missile launchers, after Moscow launched one of the deadliest single aerial attacks of the war so far. Speaking to reporters in Pryluky in the east of Kyiv, he said: “Open Starlink for Ukraine. You did open it when you were responding to Iran ... I’ve said quite openly – give it to us, help us defend our skies and dominate there. And then Putin will sit down at the negotiating table.” At least 30 people were killed in a Russian glide bomb attack on two civilian buses in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, rescue officials said. Three others were killed in the nearby village of Bilenke, while 18 people were wounded, according to Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin, who accused Russia of deliberately targeting passenger buses to maximise civilian casualties. Two dead in drone strikes in Russia's Belgorod region, officials say Two people were killed in Ukrainian drone strikes on Thursday in Russia's border region of Belgorod, regional officials said. The regional operational headquarters reported one person died when a drone struck a car. A later evening strike killed one person and injured three. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. Belgorod region has been a frequent target of Ukraine's forces. Indian imports of Russian oil sink to lowest level since 2022 Indian imports of Russian oil have their lowest level since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, according to a report. In the four weeks up to 4 October, shipments of Russian rude averaged just 310,000 barrels a day, Bloomberg data showed. This is the lowest level since March 2022. India has gradually reduced its dependence on Russian oil since the US threatened punitive sanctions earlier this year. Zelensky says Ukraine expects Europeans to join talks with US Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine expected Kyiv's European partners to join talks with the US in coming days. Zelenskiy earlier said that Ukraine's negotiators would hold talks in the United States on Friday and Saturday as part of efforts led by the United States to seek a settlement of the war with Russia. The president, speaking to reporters in Kyiv, said Ukrainian negotiators would raise the issue of air defences in light of near-constant Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. More than 70 have been killed in strikes over the past two days. Zelenskiy also said Ukraine had "mirrored" Russian attacks on data centres, referring to a strike on a centre operated by Russian technology company Yandex. "We always respond in mirror-like fashion," Zelenskiy said. "You all know, they have been hitting and continue to hit our data centres. We are responding. I can't share all the details." Russian technology and AI company Yandex said on Thursday it could not yet determine whether equipment at a data centre hit by a Ukrainian drone attack could be restored. Russian drone strike on Kramatorsk kills two, local authorities say A new evening drone strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk killed two people on Thursday, local authorities said. The Kramatorsk city council, in a post on Telegram, said the drone struck a car, killing two people inside. It said a total of 35 people had been killed in the city after a bomb attack tore through two buses. Russia agrees with Rubio that Ukraine conflict is in a stalemate Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Thursday that Russia agreed with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the Ukraine conflict was in a stalemate. "Yes, we agree with him," Russian news agencies quoted Peskov as saying on the sidelines of a meeting of leaders of ex-Soviet states in Turkmenistan. State news agency RIA quoted Peskov as saying it was up to diplomats to find ways of moving towards peace. "The art of diplomacy precisely involves finding some way out that would allow moving onto a peaceful track," Peskov was quoted as saying. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet Ukrainian representatives on Friday in Miami to discuss new ideas and try to produce a unified proposal for resolving the war, an American source familiar with the plan said on Thursday. Peskov was quoted as saying he saw no immediate prospect for a three-way summit between Putin, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump. He restated the Kremlin's position that Russia wanted an overall solution to the conflict and was not interested in temporary measures, like a limited ceasefire. "We are not for a fragmented solution, we are for a comprehensive solution that will allow for sustainable settlement for many, many years, for decades," the agencies quoted him as saying. The crippling effect we’re all feeling from the deadlock in Ukraine’s war with Russia Two of the world’s largest exporters of grain, locked in war for more than four years, have seen exports plunge even further over the last year. Prolonged conflict around the Black Sea threatens both economies - and those most in need, writes James C. Reynolds. The crippling effect we’re all feeling from the deadlock in Ukraine’s war with Russia Rubio claims war in Ukraine is 'at dangerous stalemate' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Russia's war in Ukraine is at a dangerous stalemate and the United States will continue to try to facilitate a settlement to end the conflict. "We'd love to see a negotiated settlement to this war that is permanent, enduring, and fair," Rubio told reporters during a visit to Portugal. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] ACHC DOHE440H0