THE Russians overnight bombed an American factory as they launched a massive missile and drone strike on Western Ukraine.
The aerial onslaught was one of the biggest attacks launched by Moscow – and came less than a week after Putin met Trump for peace talks.
EPAThe site of a Russian strike on an industrial facility in Western Ukraine[/caption]
EPAThe strikes targeted Flex Ltd, an American publicly traded multinational company[/caption]
ReutersA firefighter works at the site where a Flextronics factory was hit by a Russian missile strike[/caption]
The Russian forces launched at least 574 drones and a barrage of 40 missiles across western Ukraine – killing one person and injuring at least 25.
Part of the strikes targeted Flex Ltd – an American publicly traded multinational company and one of the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturers.
Russians bombed their 55,000-square-meter Mukachevo plant in Zakarpattia Oblast, which has been peating since 2012.
The plant employs over 2,600 people, The Kyiv Independent reports.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said the strikes targeted enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex,” including drone factories, storage depots, missile launch sites and areas where Ukrainian troops were gathered.
But Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of practically burning down an American company that produces home appliances, nothing military.
He said: “The Russians knew exactly where they lobbed the missiles.
“We believe this was a deliberate attack against American property and investments in Ukraine.
“Telling attack, right as the world awaits a clear answer from Russia on negotiations to end the war.”
The attack came as Washington – and its European allies – is trying to strike a peace deal with Moscow.
Washington is now trying to pressure Moscow to agree to a one-on-one meeting with Zelensky.
Pressure has been mounting on Putin to sit down with Zelensky since the White House summit – but the latest language from Russia looks suspiciously like well-worn stalling tactics.
Trump hoped he would be able to convince Putin to stop the bloodshed when he met the dictator in Anchorage.
But since then, little tangible progress has been made towards a peace deal.
EPAThe plant employs over 2,600 people[/caption]
ReutersRussian missiles wreaked destruction on the village of Sknyliv on the outskirts of Lviv[/caption]
AFPPutin is apparently ready to meet Zelensky[/caption]
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet on the tarmac in Alaska
Trump’s patience with Putin has been wearing thin – with the President admitting it’s possible that the warmonger “doesn’t want peace”.
In a social media post today, Trump appeared to hint that he is open to Ukraine launching more attacks on Russia.
He suggested that it would be “impossible” for Ukraine to win the war without attacking Russia.
He said: “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country.
“It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defence, but is not allowed to play offence.
“There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia.”
Trump sets deadline
He set a two-week time frame for assessing peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Don told Todd Starnes on Newsmax: “I would say within two weeks we’re going to know one way or the other.
“After that, we’ll have to maybe take a different tack.”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Putin is ready to meet Zelensky only after working through a list of vague “issues”.
Lavrov said: “Our president has repeatedly said that he is ready to meet, including with Mr Zelensky.”
But he insisted the meeting would only happen “with the understanding that all issues that require consideration at the highest level will be well worked out”.
An unhinged Putin
Putin’s demands throughout the war have remained unchanged.
He is adamant that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce ambitions to join Nato, remain neutral and keep Western troops out of the country.
Meanwhile, Zelensky has said he’s ready to meet Putin but only after his allies agree to security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian attacks once the fighting stops.
A group of allies led by Britain and France are putting together a military coalition to support the guarantees.
Once an outline of the security guarantees is agreed upon, Trump would like to see a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader said.
He also warned that both sides were preparing for further fighting. Russia was building up troops on the southern front line and Ukraine was test-launching a new long-range cruise missile, he said.
AFPZelensky and Putin attend a meeting on Ukraine with French President and German Chancelor at the Elysee Palace in 2019[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
