Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (not pictured), on the day they attend a virtual meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders on the upcoming Trump-Putin summit on Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany, August 13, 2025. REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

KYIV, Aug 15 (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday Russia was continuing to attack Ukraine ahead of a summit in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, but its attempt to “show strength” with a new assault in the east had failed.

“On the day of the negotiations, they also kill people. And that says a lot,” Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app.

“The war continues. It continues precisely because there is no order, nor any indication that Moscow is preparing to end this war,” he added.

Earlier, Ukrainian regional officials said Russia had launched a ballistic missile into Dnipropetrovsk region in eastern Ukraine, killing one person and wounding at least one other, while a drone damaged civilian infrastructure and caused a fire in Sumy region in the northeast.

The city of Dnipro is a logistics hub for Ukrainian forces, and the Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions border the combat zone and are regularly shelled by Russian forces.

Ukraine said this week that small groups of Russian infantry had thrust some 10 kilometres (six miles) towards the main defensive line near the eastern town of Dobropillia, raising fears of a wider breakthrough that would further threaten key cities.

However, officials said on Thursday that Ukrainian troops had managed to stabilise the battlefield in the area.

Commenting on the matter on Friday, Zelenskiy said: “The Russian intention was to show strength ahead of Alaska but in fact, for the occupiers, this is ending with their destruction.”

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