Deadly market attack in eastern Ukraine overshadows visit by Antony Blinken

A Russian attack on a city in eastern Ukraine killed at least 16 people on Wednesday as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv to offer support for its counteroffensive against Russia’s forces.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, which hit a market, shops and a pharmacy in the city of Kostiantynivka, close to the battlefield. He said a child was among the 16 dead, and officials said at least 34 were wounded.

“This Russian evil must be defeated as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy said, describing it as a deliberate attack on a “peaceful city”. Aides posted video footage showing an explosion after what sounded like a missile approaching, and people scurrying for cover or falling to the ground.

Russia did not immediately comment on the attack, and has denied deliberately targeting civilians.

Blinken was expected to announce a new package of US wartime assistance worth more than $1 billion during his two-day visit, a senior State Department official said.

The first top US official to visit Kyiv since the counteroffensive began in early June, Blinken had talks with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and was later due to meet Zelenskyy.

“We want to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs, not only to succeed in the counteroffensive, but has what it needs for the long term, to make sure that it has a strong deterrent,” Blinken said standing alongside Kuleba.

US media reports have cited unidentified US officials as saying the Ukrainian counteroffensive has been too slow and hindered by poor tactics — criticism that angered Ukrainian officials and prompted Kuleba to tell critics to “shut up”.

Ukraine has retaken more than a dozen villages and small settlements in its offensive. But its push into Russian-held territory has been slowed by minefields and trenches.

US officials have not publicly criticised Ukraine’s military tactics, and last week said they had seen progress in the southeast.

The State Department official said Washington wanted to discuss how the counteroffensive was going and assess battlefield needs as well as any steps that might be required to shore up Ukraine’s energy security before winter.

“I think what’s most important is that we get a real assessment from the Ukrainians themselves,” the official said. “We want to see; hear how they intend to push forward in the coming weeks.”

Asked about Blinken’s visit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow believed Washington planned to continue funding Ukraine’s military “to wage this war to the last Ukrainian”.

He said US aid to Kyiv would not affect the course of what he called Russia’s special military operation.

RISING OPPOSITION TO UKRAINE AID

Blinken’s visit coincided with parliament approving the appointment of Rustem Umerov as defence minister following the dismissal of Oleksii Reznikov. Officials did not say whether Blinken would meet Umerov.

During his train ride to Kyiv, Blinken also held talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who was visiting the same day.

Blinken thanked Frederiksen for the donation of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and its leadership of a coalition of nations to train Ukrainian pilots, a State Department spokesperson said.

Denmark and the Netherlands announced last month they would supply more than 60 US-made F-16s as soon as pilots are trained to fly them — the first countries to offer the jets.

The US government has provided more than $43 billion in weaponry and other military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022. A new package of security assistance is set to be announced this week, Reuters reported on Friday.

Several Republican presidential hopefuls have questioned the US aid, fuelling concerns over whether Washington will still back Ukraine at the same level once the US 2024 election campaign intensifies.