Russian forces Wednesday launched a rocket attack on a train station in central Ukraine on the embattled country’s Independence Day, killing at least 15 people and wounding about 50, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after warning for days that Moscow might attempt “something particularly cruel” this week. The lethal attack took place in Chaplyne, a town of about 3,500 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian news agencies quoted Zelenskyy as telling the U.N. Security Council via video. The president’s office also reported that an 11-year-old child was killed by rocket fire in another part of the region. Ukraine had been bracing for especially heavy attacks surrounding the national holiday that commemorates Ukraine’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Wednesday also marked the six-month point in the war. Ahead of the holiday, Kyiv authorities banned large gatherings in the capital through Thursday for fear of missile strikes. Residents of the capital, which has been largely spared in recent months, woke up Wednesday to air raid sirens, but no immediate strikes followed. As the day wore on, Russian bombardments were reported in the country’s east, west and central areas, with the most serious attack apparently at the train station. Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson marked the holiday with a visit to Kyiv — his third since the war broke out — and other European leaders used the occasion to pledge unwavering support for Ukraine, locked in a battle that was widely expected to be a lightning conquest by Moscow but has turned into a grinding war of attrition. The U.S. announced a major new military aid package totaling nearly $3 billion to help Ukrainian forces fight for years to come. “Russian provocations and brutal strikes are a possibility,” Zelenskyy said in a statement before the train attack was reported. “Please strictly follow the safety rules. Please observe the curfew. Pay attention to the air sirens.” Over the weekend, Zelenskyy likewise warned that Russia “may try to do something particularly nasty, something particularly cruel” this week. Nevertheless, a festive atmosphere prevailed during the day at Kyiv’s Maidan square as thousands of residents posed for pictures next to burned-out Russian tanks put on display. Folk singers set up, and many revelers — ignoring the sirens — were out and about in traditionally embroidered dresses and shirts. Others were fearful. “I can’t sleep at night because of what I see and hear about what is being done in Ukraine,” said a retiree who gave only her first name, Tetyana, her voice shaking with emotion. “This is not a war. It is the destruction of the Ukrainian people.” In a holiday message to the country, Zelenskyy exulted over Ukraine’s success in fending off Moscow’s forces since the invasion, saying: “On Feb. 24, we were told: You have no chance. On Aug. 24, we say: Happy Independence Day, Ukraine!” Zelenskyy also addressed the U.N. Security Council over Russia’s objections, saying the “security of the entire world” is at stake in Ukraine’s battle against Moscow’s “insane aggression.” U.S. President Joe Biden said the latest American aid package will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense and artillery systems and other weapons. “I know this Independence Day is bittersweet for many Ukrainians as thousands have been killed or wounded, millions have been displaced from their homes, and […]

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