One of the missile attacks reportedly hit an American electronics manufacturer site in Mukachevo, which has around 800 people on its night shift, an employee of the company told The Kyiv Independent.
“It was a regular civilian business, supported by American investment, producing everyday items like coffee machines. And yet, it was also a target for the Russians. This is very telling,” Zelenskyy said in his social media post.
“The Russians carried out this attack as if nothing has changed at all, as if there are no global efforts to stop this war. This requires a response. There is still no signal from Moscow that they truly intend to engage in substantive negotiations and end this war. Pressure is needed. Strong sanctions, strong tariffs,” added Zelenskyy.
The massive attack comes after a week of intensified peace efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders. Despite the diplomatic exertions, including Trump’s Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday, an actual ceasefire, let alone peace, seems a distant prospect.
The Kremlin chief hasn’t backed down from his maximalist demands to end the Russian invasion: for Ukraine to become a neutral state, give up additional land in the eastern part of the country, drastically reduce its military, and abandon its aspiration to join NATO. Putin has also not confirmed direct talks with Zelenskyy, which Trump said he began arranging.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday made clear that Moscow is not shifting on what if considers acceptable security guarantees for Ukraine, which is that both Russia and China will have a say, an unthinkable scenario for Ukraine and its allies.