ALMOST 150 miners were trapped underground in eastern Ukraine after Russia bombed a coal facility, killing one worker.
The terrifying ordeal comes as details about the security guarantees Trump is prepared to offer Ukraine begin to emerge – namely big guns and intel, according to officials.
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One miner was killed and three injured by the shelling on the coal mine – while 146 were left stuck inside the dark labyrinth.
The mine belongs to DETK, Ukraine’s largest energy company.
A spokesperson for them said: “The attack damaged the company’s buildings and equipment and caused a power outage.
“At the time, 146 miners were underground, and efforts to bring them to the surface are ongoing.”
The precise location of the trapped miners was not revealed by the firm, but a union leader reported they were stuck in the Dobropillia community in Donetsk.
It was reported later in the day that all the miners had been rescued and brought back to the surface.
Donetsk, one half of the Donbas region, has mostly been overrun by Russia – but its famous “fortress belt” is still clinging on.
Donbas is Ukraine’s industrial powerhouse and holds rich reserves of coal and metal underground.
Russia has demanded Ukraine hands over the remaining land in exchange for peace – a proposal Zelensky screwed up and threw out.
Meanwhile, details have finally emerged about the security guarantees the US could give to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.
Trump first confirmed the US would be involved in Ukraine‘s long-term safety during the White House summit with European leaders – but did not specify what they would look like.
We learned they would definitely not include American boots on the ground – though Trump suggested other willing nations would send manpower.
Now, the US has said it is willing to provide intelligence and battlefield leadership to Ukraine‘s army as part of a deal, reports the Financial Times citing four briefed officials.
Senior US officials have reportedly told European leaders in discussions since the summit that Washington would offer “strategic enablers” to the brave defenders.
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These would include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, command and control, and air defence weapons.
The objective of these helping hands would be to deter any future Russian attacks.
Members of the Coalition of the Willing – including the UK and France – are expected to take more active roles in Ukraine’s defence.
It’s not clear which countries, if any, would commit to sending troops to the frontline.
Nations have admitted that any deployment of boots would only happen under robust US support.
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This package of military aid offered by the US is dependent on European countries committing to sending tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine.
It could be retracted if that requirement is not fulfilled, the officials warned.
Nonetheless, the promises now firmed up with details mark a major shift in America’s attitude towards the future protection of Ukraine.
Just earlier this year, Trump had ruled out the States having any part in it.
First, however, a peace deal must be reached.
Trump and European leaders have pushed hard for a head-to-head meeting between Zelensky and Putin, but the Kremlin has once again stalled.
Concern is rising that the Alaska summit will turn out to have been fruitless.
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, even warned that the red-carpet event even gave Putin “everything he wanted” without demanding a single concession from him.
