Ukraine got no warning about latest Russian strikes on Kyiv, Zelensky says after latest Trump critique

Ukrainian officials did not get a heads-up from “our partners” about the latest Russian assault on civilian sites in Kyiv, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said early Tuesday after what he described as a “particularly vile” attack.

Zelensky did not directly blame any nation or leader for the lack of warning, but his comments came hours after President Trump told reporters that Russian President Vladimir Putin “wants to make a deal more than Zelensky” and brushed off Ukraine’s claims that Moscow was responsible for violating a limited cease-fire.

“Intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues. This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed – when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said on X.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appears on a screen as he speaks during the Warsaw Security Forum in Warsaw, Poland, on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. REUTERS
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Zelensky said Russia had attacked Ukraine with more than 100 weapons since Monday evening. Among the damage was a residential building in the northeastern city of Kharkiv that was destroyed, killing four people despite an all-night rescue operation, he said.

Russia has increasingly used attacks on civilian infrastructure such as energy facilities to deny Ukrainians power, heat and running water during the four-and-a-half year-old war, hoping to wear down public support for Ukraine’s response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Ukraine, meanwhile, has launched strikes against Russian energy sites like oil refineries, sometimes deep within Russian territory, despite requests by Trump to refrain from doing so.

Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian drone strike on a residential area in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday, October 12, 2026. SERGEY DOLZHENKO/EPA/Shutterstock

“Ukraine has not carried out strikes on Russian oil refineries or the energy sector in general for the two days since the American President announced an energy ceasefire. But Russia did not heed the American President,” Zelensky insisted Tuesday. “During this time, the Russians have attacked both our energy facilities and our critical infrastructure, sending absolutely clear signals that they have no intention of refraining from strikes on Ukraine … Our position remains unchanged: Ukraine is ready for reciprocal steps toward de-escalation, and effective pressure on Russia is needed to make de-escalation happen. Wars end when the aggressor realizes that it cannot prolong the war.”

Emergency employees work at the site of a residential area damaged during a Russian drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday, October 12, 2026. REUTERS
A burned car sits in front of a multistory residential building damaged in a Russian drone strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Trump told reporters Monday evening that “there have been violations on both sides” and demanded both leaders figure out a way to “end that ridiculous war.”

“This month they lost 32,000 people in that war, and it’s ridiculous,” the president told reporters as he left the White House for a pre-midterms rally in Ohio. “So they have to get together and get it done.”

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