Authorities in Ukraine say 11 people have been killed following a Russian missile attack in Dobropillia. It comes a day after Donald Trump threatened sanctions against Moscow, adding Russia is „bombing the hell“ out of Ukraine. Listen to the Trump 100 podcast as you scroll.
Saturday 8 March 2025 10:27, UK
We’ve just been hearing from security and defence editor Deborah Haynes about last night’s Russian attacks across eastern Ukraine.
She was part of a Sky News team in Dobropillia 24 hours before an overnight drone attack that local authorities say killed 11 people (see 7.13am post), including five children.
„There are a lot of civilians still living in that town,“ she says.
„We stopped off to grab food at a pizza restaurant that was close to the site of at least two of the incoming strikes.
„The restaurant is on a road of shops, including a clothes store and a small groceries outlet.“
You can watch Haynes‘ full report below…
Global diplomatic efforts remain ongoing to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, with talks between key players continuing next week.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is „most interested in peace“ and confirmed officials will hold talks with US partners in Saudi Arabia next week about ending the war with Russia.
Despite appearing to signal relations between the US and Ukraine were getting back on track after his disastrous White House visit, Zelenskyy suggested he would not be part of discussions next week.
The Ukrainian president said: „I am scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to meet with the crown prince.
„After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with American partners. Ukraine is most interested in peace.“
No date for US-Russia talks
At the end of February, Russia and US teams held hours of talks in Turkey, narrowly focusing on restoring normal functioning of their embassies.
The Kremlin said this week the next round of talks on ending the war in Ukraine are unlikely to happen before both embassies resume normal operations.
Last week, Russia said it was sending a new ambassador to Washington, but it remains unclear when the full work of both embassies will resume.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shared a message of thanks for Ukrainian women to mark International Women’s Day.
„On the front lines and in the rear, in hospitals, schools, in defence and business – our Ukrainian women are everywhere,“ he posted on Telegram.
„Heroic. Strong. Professional. Resolute. Thank you for your resilience, which strengthens Ukraine every day.“
Zelenskyy attached several images of Ukrainian women in different jobs with his post.
Thousands of Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region are nearly surrounded by Russian forces there.
Kyiv’s force in the area have deteriorated sharply in the last three days, open source maps show, after Russian forces retook territory as part of a gathering counteroffensive.
Military analyst Pasi Paroinen told the Reuters news agency the situation for Ukrainians in Kursk „is very bad“.
„If Ukrainian forces are not able to restore the situation quickly, this could be the moment where the Kursk salient begins to finally close into an encircled pocket,“ he said.
For context: Thousands of Ukrainian troops stormed into Russia’s Kursk region last August, partly as a way of diverting parts of Moscow’s army away from the frontline in eastern Ukraine.
Analysts believed Kyiv had been hoping to use its presence in Kursk as leverage over Russia in any peace talks.
We’ve been getting more reports of overnight Russian drone attacks on several Ukrainian regions.
The country’s military said it had shot down 79 of 145 drones launched by Russia.
The regional governor of Kharkiv says at least three men were killed and another seven injured in a drone attack in Bogodukhiv.
Oleh Syniehubov says four drones hit a meat processing plant, sparking a fire that damaged workshops and garages.
The southern city of Odesa was also hit once again by Russian drones.
The city is home to Ukraine’s biggest energy company, which says its facilities in the port were struck once more.
Ukraine’s largest private gas producer, DTEK, has reported seven attacks in the past two and a half weeks on its facilities.
A tank at one of Russia’s key oil refineries was hit by a drone last night during a major Ukrainian attack, local authorities said.
Drones targeted the Kinef oil refinery in the Kirishi district near St. Petersburg, damaging the external structure of one of the tanks at the facility, governor Alexander Drozdenko said.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in recent months, targeting a major source of revenue for Moscow.
Kinef is one of the largest oil refineries in Russia, refining about 6.4%, or 17.7 million tons, of the country’s total supply of crude each year, according to industry sources.
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the strike.
👉 Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app 👈
US President Donald Trump says Russia „holds all the cards“, a statement rattling Ukraine and fuelling concerns that he’s handing Moscow the advantage.
Our US correspondents Mark Stone and James Matthews break down Trump’s latest stance on the war in Ukraine, his threats of banking sanctions on Russia, and the shifting dynamics within NATO.
If you’ve got a question you’d like James and Mark to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned last night’s Russian missile attack on Dobropillia.
Local authorities say the strike killed 11 people and injured dozens more (see 7.13am post).
Zelenskyy said two missiles hit the town first before Russia launched another strike „deliberately targeting rescuers“ after services had arrived at the scene.
Ukraine’s president called this a „vile and inhumane tactic for intimidation that the Russians often resort to“.
„Such strikes show that Russia’s goals are unchanged,“ he wrote.
„Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defence, and tighten sanctions against Russia.
„Everything that helps Putin finance the war must break down.“
Donald Trump spoke in the Oval Office last night, where he took questions from reporters about Ukraine and Russia.
The US president, who one week ago publicly berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office over „gambling with World War Three“, said Kyiv has to „get on the ball and get the job done“.
Trump said Russia has „all the cards“ and said it „may be easier“ to deal with Moscow.
„They’re bombing the hell out of Ukraine… I’m finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine,“ he added.
Asked if he believes Vladimir Putin when he says he wants peace, Trump said: „Yeah… I believe him“.
„I think both parties want to settle. I think we are going to get it settled,“ he added.
Posting on social media yesterday, Trump said he was „strongly considering“ placing additional sanctions on Russia to force it into peace talks with Ukraine.
The president also acknowledged that his decisions to halt military aid to Ukraine and stop sharing intelligence with Kyiv have caused Russia to „hit harder“.
„I think he’s doing what anyone else would do,“ Trump said.
As we mentioned in our last post, a devastating Russian attack in eastern Ukraine has killed at least 11 people and wounded another 30, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The town of Dobropillia lies northwest of the Russian-held Donetsk city in eastern Ukraine.
Regional emergency services said eight residential buildings and an administrative building were also damaged in the attack.
It added that another drone struck the area while emergency services worked to extinguish the fire, damaging a fire truck.
Posting on Telegram this morning, the governor of the Donetsk region said Russian strikes killed a total of 20 people in the region yesterday, with another 43 injured.
It comes as Donald Trump last night acknowledged his decision to withhold intelligence from Ukraine is leaving them open to fierce attacks – adding Russia is „bombing the hell out of Ukraine“.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
Ukraine war latest: Russian strike kills 11 in eastern Ukraine town, authorities say – Sky News
