According to Dnipropetrovsk regional governor Serhiy Lysak, Russia conducted a strike in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, resulting in the death of one woman and injuries to several others. This incident occurred shortly after Ukraine accepted a ceasefire proposal from the US, which aimed to bring an end to the violent conflict that has spanned three years.
The choice of Kryvyi Rih as the target of the attack may have been deliberate, possibly intended to convey a direct message to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as it is his hometown and has been repeatedly attacked by Russia during the course of the war.
Prior to the overnight attack, the city took a blow on March 6 when a Russian missile attack left four dead and 32 injured, according to Reuters.
Russia’s offensive comes at a crucial juncture in the conflict as Ukraine seems to be shifting its focus towards achieving peace. Ukrainian officials have been in discussions with their American counterparts in Saudi Arabia this week, a development that was confirmed by Zelenskyy, who emphasized Ukraine’s strong desire for a resolution to the conflict.
A view shows a damaged hotel at the site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, on March 12, 2025. (REUTERS/Mykola Synelnykov)
President Donald Trump addressed the ceasefire while speaking to attendees of the Business Roundtable meeting on Tuesday.
“I’ve been saying that Russia’s been easier to deal with so far than Ukraine, which is not supposed to be the way it is,” President Trump said. “But it is, and we hope to get Russia. But we have a full ceasefire from Ukraine. That’s good.”
Kremlin spokesperson Demitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that Russia is holding off on commenting on the U.S.-Ukraine ceasefire proposal until it gets more “detailed information.” Secretary Rubio said the plan will be “directly” delivered to the Russians.
President Donald Trump (center), Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right). (Alessandro Bremec/NurPhoto via Getty Images | Contributor/Getty Images | Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Following a tense Oval Office encounter with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, President Zelenskyy appeared to change his tune about the war. Following the meeting, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that President Zelenskyy was “not ready for peace.” However, the two appeared to have reconciled, as Trump read a letter from Zelenskyy during his address to a joint session of Congress last week.
“Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” President Trump said. “The letter reads, ‘Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians, he said. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.’”
