Russian strikes on nine Ukrainian regions cut power and wound 15 as US ties fray

Russian attacks on nine Ukrainian regions caused emergency power outages for hundreds of thousands of households and wounded at least 15 people on Friday, as civilian casualties from the invasion climb steeply. The strikes came amid a sharp deterioration in relations between Ukraine and the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly accused US President Donald Trump of betrayal, while Trump called Zelenskyy "not a good guy for us to deal with." Ukraine is desperately short of Patriot missiles, and Zelenskyy complained of a breakdown in Western intelligence sharing and sudden speed restrictions on Starshield satellite internet service. The UN reported September civilian casualties were 85 percent higher than the same month last year, with 328 killed and 2,105 wounded. Zelenskyy told EU leaders the war will cost Ukraine 174 billion USD next year, requiring at least 79 billion USD from Europe.