Russian strikes kill 3 in Ukraine as Putin warns Europe that sending troops means ‘war’

Kyiv (Ukraine): Russian strikes killed three civilians and wounded dozens in Ukraine, local officials said Saturday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any deployment of European troops to Ukraine would amount to direct conflict with Russia.

Ukraine is facing an intensifying Russian air campaign involving ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones. Ukrainian officials say Moscow has also targeted the country's power infrastructure ahead of winter in attacks aimed at weakening civilian morale.

Russian strikes hit Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa

Two people were killed and one was wounded after Russian drones struck a residential area overnight in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, regional head Ivan Fedorov said.

In Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed and three others were wounded in Russian strikes, according to local officials.

In the Black Sea port city of Odesa and the surrounding area, 28 people were wounded in what regional head Oleh Kiper described as a “massive attack”.

A residential high-rise was among the buildings damaged, with its upper floors completely destroyed.
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Putin warns Europe against sending troops

Putin, speaking to reporters at the BRICS Summit in India on Friday, warned that the deployment of European troops to Ukraine would mean “a war with Russia”.

“Now they’re talking about how they’re considering sending troops into Ukraine. That means a war with Russia,” he said.

Some European leaders have expressed support for a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine, a proposal Moscow has repeatedly rejected.

Putin also denied that Russia poses a threat to Europe.

“We do not threaten, nor do we intend to threaten, European countries,” he said.

Poland warns of possible Russian provocations

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday that two incidents along Ukraine's borders with Poland and Moldova this week could be a preview of increased Russian provocations at border crossings with Europe.

Two people were killed when Russian drones struck the Starokozache border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday night.

Tusk also said a “direct threat” to a Polish-Ukrainian crossing point on Wednesday night was avoided through cooperation between Warsaw and Kyiv.
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Zelenskyy open to Putin meeting at G20

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would meet Putin if both leaders were invited to the Group of 20 summit in Miami in December.

Zelenskyy made the remarks in an interview with Deutsche Welle published Saturday.

Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said the possibility of the Russian president attending the summit had not yet been discussed.

The Kremlin has previously said Zelenskyy could travel to Moscow for talks with Putin, a proposal Kyiv has rejected.

(With AP inputs)