Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the latest Russian airstrikes on Kyiv and surrounding areas, warning that Moscow will not take peace efforts seriously as long as Ukraine lacks sufficient defenses against ballistic missiles.
At least 13 people were killed and around 40 others injured in the overnight attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region, according to the latest casualty figures.
Zelensky said Russia had prepared the attack over an extended period and combined different types of weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, in an effort to inflict maximum damage on civilian infrastructure.
“Russians have been preparing for a long time and have combined different types of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones in order to cause as much damage as possible to civilian infrastructure,” Zelensky said in a statement on Telegram.
The Ukrainian president argued that Moscow was continuing to invest heavily in ballistic missile capabilities and escalation, while the international response to such attacks had not always been strong enough.
“As long as Ukraine does not have sufficient ballistic missile defense systems, Russia will not take the issue of peace seriously,” Zelensky said.
He again emphasized what he described as Ukraine’s “daily need” for additional interceptors for Patriot air-defense systems, which Kyiv considers critical for protecting major cities and infrastructure from Russian missile attacks.
Zelensky’s appeal comes as Russia continues to rely on combined missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian targets, placing additional pressure on Ukraine’s air-defense capabilities and its Western allies to provide more advanced systems and ammunition.
