A substantial Russian air assault, involving both drones and missiles, struck Ukraine overnight into Sunday, resulting in the loss of at least four lives. Kyiv experienced the most severe impact from the attacks. This recent wave of attacks represents the most intense bombardment since the prior month’s airstrikes on Kyiv, which resulted in at least 21 fatalities. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the attacks through a public statement and expressed his condolences for the victims. He highlighted the prolonged duration of the attacks, noting that they continued for over 12 hours, and described them as a targeted act of terror against civilian areas.
According to Zelenskyy, the primary targets of the strikes were Kyiv and the surrounding area, along with regions including Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, and Odesa. “In the capital, the building of the Cardiology Institute was damaged. As of now, four people have been reported killed in Kyiv, including a 12-year-old girl. My condolences to all the families and loved ones. Across Ukraine, at least 40 people are known to have been injured, including children,” wrote Zelenskyy. The damage caused by the Russian strikes included a bread-production facility, a tire manufacturing plant, private homes, apartment buildings, and other elements of civilian infrastructure. Zelenskyy assured that all necessary services were deployed to manage the situation.
President Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s actions, accusing Moscow of aiming to perpetuate the conflict and inflict more casualties. He called for increased international pressure on Russia. He also alleged that the Kremlin benefits from sustaining the war and related terror, especially through revenue from energy exports and operating a shadow fleet. Highlighting the Russian attack and the resulting casualties, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would continue to strike back to deprive Moscow of those revenue streams and to encourage a return to diplomacy. “We will continue to strike back to deprive Russia of those revenue streams and to compel it toward diplomacy. Everyone who wants peace must back President Trump’s efforts and halt any Russian imports. The time for decisive action is long overdue, and we count on a strong response from the United States, Europe, the G7, and the G20,” he added.