Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for rejecting a ceasefire proposal following a series of deadly attacks that killed at least 21 people in Ukraine, including six children.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy confirmed that 16 people, among them six children, were killed in a missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, while five more died in a drone attack on Kharkiv. The Kharkiv strike involved six Iranian-made “Shahed” drones, and 34 people were reported injured.
“Rescue operations are currently underway in Kryvyi Rih,” Zelenskyy wrote. “In Kharkiv, rescue efforts continued all day after a deliberate Russian drone attack. My condolences to all the families and loved ones.”
Zelenskyy also reported another targeted strike in Kherson, where a Russian FPV drone hit the city’s thermal power plant, further damaging Ukraine’s already strained energy infrastructure.
“These strikes cannot be accidental,” he said. “The Russians know exactly what they are hitting—energy facilities that should be protected. Every Russian promise ends with missiles, drones, bombs, or artillery. Diplomacy means nothing to them.”
Zelenskyy condemned Moscow for consistently rejecting ceasefire proposals, stating that Russia had refused a ceasefire since March 11. “A ceasefire could have already been reached—it is Putin who rejects it,” he declared. “Russia won’t be forced into peace through talks alone. Pressure is needed—sufficient pressure so they feel the consequences of every lie, every strike, every life taken.”
The statement comes in the wake of expert-level talks held between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from March 23 to 25. These meetings, which followed individual discussions between U.S. President Donald Trump and both Putin and Zelenskyy, focused on security in the Black Sea, protecting commercial shipping, safeguarding energy infrastructure, and pursuing long-term peace.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, the renewed violence underscores the growing toll of the conflict and the continued deadlock in negotiations.
