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Ukrainian civilians pay price as Russian attacks continue despite Trump’s peace attempts

Russian attack on Okhtyrka in Sumy Oblast damaged private residences and an apartment building, injuring 14 people.

How serious is Russia about peace? While Donald Trump works to arrange a summit between Putin and Zelenskyy to push for a peace agreement, Russian forces launched another wave of attacks against Ukrainian civilians early 20 August morning.

This comes amid recent talks initiated by Trump first with Putin and then with Zelenskyy and European leaders as they are trying to negotiate a peace deal. However, Ukrainian officials describe the continued assaults as proof Russia has no intention of halting hostilities. On 18 August, Russian missile attack on a residential building in Kharkiv killed five civilians, including a toddler and a teenager, with several others injured. 

Russian forces fired two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and Iranian-designed 93 Shahed drones across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Air Force. Ukrainian air defense intercepted one missile and 62 drones, but strikes still hit 20 locations nationwide.

Energy infrastructure targeted in Odesa Oblast

Izmayil, a port city in southern Odesa Oblast, took direct strikes that damaged fuel and energy infrastructure, according to the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office and State Emergency Service.

One person was injured and hospitalized, officials reported. The strikes sparked a massive fire that required 54 rescuers and 16 specialized vehicles to contain. Ukrainian Railways deployed a fire train, while National Guard fire units and local brigades joined the response.

The Izmayil District Prosecutor’s Office opened a war crimes investigation, while prosecutors and police are documenting damage at the scene.

Aftermath of the Russian attack on fuel facility in Izmayil, Odesa Oblast, on 20 August. Photo: State emergency service

14 civilians injured in Sumy border Oblast

The northern city of Okhtyrka in northeastern Sumy Oblast faced a massive attack that injured 14 people, including three children. Multiple locations were struck simultaneously across the city.

The youngest victim is not even a year old yet. The boy has an acute stress reaction, but there is no threat to his life.

Emergency workers pulled a woman from rubble and transferred her to ambulance crews, according to regional authorities. The strikes damaged an apartment building, 13 private homes, an outbuilding, and a garage. Several cars were destroyed, and fires broke out across impact sites.

Thirteen private residences, an apartment building, and a garage suffered damage in Okhtyrka, Sumy Oblast, 20 August, while 14 people were injured. Photos: National Police of Ukraine/State emergency service

Rescue teams extinguished all fires, the State Emergency Service reported. The scale of damage suggests coordinated targeting of residential areas rather than military infrastructure.

Photos: National Police of Ukraine/State emergency service
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