Major Russian attack on Ukraine hits American factory

The assault targets western regions where aid from allies is believed to be stored.

- By Samya KuLLAB AND ILLIA NovIKOV

DIEGO HERRERA CARCEDO Anadolu UKRAINIAN firefighters extinguish a blaze in the Kostiantynivka market after Russian shelling.

Russia Jaunched a rare drone and missile attack on western Ukraine overnight, officials said Thursday, striking targets including an American-owned electronics plant and injecting further uncertainty into the U.S.-led efforts to end the three-year-old war.

The aerial assault on a part of Ukraine that has largely avoided such focused attacks was one of Russia’s biggest this year and came amid Moscow's objections to key aspects of proposals that could end the fighting following Russia’s February 2022 invasion ofits neighbor.

President Trump discussed the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday.

Russia’s Defense 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. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilian areas of Ukraine.

But ina post on X, Zelensky wrote that “the Russians practically burned down an American company producing electronics — home appliances, nothing military.”

“The Russians knew exactly where they lobbed the missiles. We believe this was a deliberate attack against American property and investments in Ukraine,” Zelensky wrote, adding: “Telling attack, right as the world awaits a clear answer from Russia on negotiations to end the war.”

Trump last month questioned Putin’s commitment to ending the war, saying the Russian leader “talks nice and then he bombs everybody.”

In a social media post Thursday, Trump criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not providing Ukraine withmore weaponry itneeds to “fight back.”