Zelenskyy returns Poland's highest honor as row deepens Ukraine's president has returned a medal to Poland after a decision to strip him of the country's highest honor. Warsaw has been one of Kyiv's key allies since Russia began its war in Ukraine. Top Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on Saturday that they were returning Polish state honors after Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped the Ukrainian president of Poland's highest award. Zelenskyy said in a social media post that he had sent back the Order of the White Eagle, which he received in 2023 as a symbol of friendship between Poland and Ukraine. "Ukraine will remain open to all meaningful formats of interaction with Poland, in order to strive to avoid misinterpretations of the complex and painful pages of the past of our peoples and to ensure due respect for all innocent victims of the 20th century," he wrote. He called the medal a symbol of Poland's "highest trust," but also suggested it no longer held the same meaning after Nawrocki's decision. The Polish decision to strip the honor from Zelenskyy could further strain ties between the two close strategic partners as Kyiv seeks to rally international support to pressure Russia to end its war in Ukraine. "This is a gift to the Moscow aggressor, who will certainly use it against both of our countries," Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, wrote on social media, saying that he was returning the Gold Officer's Cross of the Polish Order of Merit. On Friday, Nawrocki announced that Zelenskyy would be stripped of the Order of the White Eagle — Poland's highest state honor, which had been awarded by former President Andrzej Duda in 2023.#kharkiv #volodymyr_zelenskyy #karol_nawrocki #donald_tusk #andriy_sybiga
At least seven people were killed and ten others, including three children, were injured in Kharkiv, Ukraine, after a Russian missile struck a five-story residential building. Officials confirmed the attack occurred on Saturday, marking a significant escalation in the conflict. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strike, calling it a "savage attack" on civilian infrastructure and urging an international response. He stated that Russia launched 29 missiles and 480 drones overnight, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions, with damage reported in at least seven locations across the country. Preliminary data revealed that Ukraine’s air defense systems intercepted 19 missiles and 453 drones, though 9 missiles and 26 strike drones successfully hit targets at 22 locations. In Kharkiv, emergency teams searched the rubble for survivors, while in the Kyiv region, debris caused damage in three districts. Firefighters in the Odesa region battled massive fires at infrastructure sites after a drone attack, and Ukraine’s state rail operator reported route changes due to rail damage. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for continued support, stating, “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue.” The attack comes amid a broader escalation of Russia’s use of Iranian-designed Shahed drones, which have been deployed in large numbers since the invasion of Ukraine over four years ago. Russia has ramped up domestic production of these drones, launching hundreds in a single night—more than used in entire months of 2024. Iran, in turn, has responded to U.S.-Israeli strikes by deploying the same type of drones in the Middle East. Zelenskyy noted a U.S.#russia #ukraine #kharkiv #president_volodymyr_zelenskyy #shahed_drones
Russia launches drone and missile strikes on Ukraine, killing at least seven in Kharkiv Russia conducted a series of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine overnight on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least seven people, including two children, in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian officials. The strikes targeted critical infrastructure, including energy systems and railway networks, across the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the attacks, calling them "savage strikes against life" and urging international partners to provide continued support through air defense systems and weapons supplies. Zelenskiy stated that Russia launched 480 drones and 29 missiles, focusing on Ukraine’s energy sector and railway infrastructure. He emphasized that Russia has not ceased its efforts to destroy residential areas and vital facilities, stressing the need for sustained assistance from allies. Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syniehubov reported that a Russian ballistic missile struck a five-story residential building, killing seven individuals, including two minors. Rescue teams are still working at the site to clear debris. The attack caused significant damage, including the destruction of seven residential apartment buildings, commercial and administrative structures, electricity distribution lines, and vehicles. Ukrainian officials also confirmed that Russia targeted four railway stations and other railway infrastructure in central Ukraine, as well as port facilities in the southern Odesa region. The attacks included setting fire to containers holding vegetable oil and damaging a grain warehouse. The strikes highlight the ongoing escalation of hostilities in the conflict, with Russia persisting in its strategy to disrupt Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilian life.#russia #ukraine #volodymyr_zelenskiy #kharkiv #oleh_sniehubov
