Zelenskyy rejects Trump call for new leadership as drone strikes hit Russian data hub

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that only Russia bears responsibility for the ongoing war and offered to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries if Moscow ceases its attacks on Ukraine's energy grid. This response followed remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested Ukraine needs a new leader and blamed the current administration for fuel costs in the United States.

Yandex Strikes

Amid these political tensions, a Ukrainian drone strike shut down a data centre run by Russian technology giant Yandex in the city of Vladimir, located east of Moscow. This incident marks the third attack on Yandex facilities in four days, following previous strikes in the Ryazan and Kaluga regions. The Vladimir outage disrupted services across dozens of Russian cities as well as in Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Armenia, affecting taxi bookings and banking access. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha defended Mr. Zelenskyy's leadership on social media, stating that the president retains the backing of the Ukrainian people.

Casualties

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations concluded in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia following a Russian bombing. Local officials reported that 23 people died in that attack, including four children, while over 30 others sustained injuries. In a separate incident, a Ukrainian drone strike in Russia's Bryansk border region resulted in one death and two injuries.

Context

These developments unfold against the backdrop of a prolonged aerial and ground conflict that has persisted for more than four and a half years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Infrastructure attacks by both sides have increasingly targeted digital hubs and energy grids, heightening the regional impact of the war.