Following a massive overnight assault by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Saturday that a large-scale drone and missile attack had resulted in three deaths and dozens of injuries.
In a statement shared on the Telegram app, Zelenskiy detailed that Russia had launched approximately 580 drones and 40 missiles, targeting a variety of sites including civilian infrastructure, manufacturing facilities, and residential areas throughout the country.
The president condemned the attacks as a “deliberate strategy by Russia to terrorize civilians and destroy our infrastructure” rather than a military necessity. The assaults, which reportedly occurred in two waves, prompted air raid alerts that lasted for about 11 hours in some regions. Ukraine’s air defense forces successfully intercepted 552 drones and 31 missiles.
Due to the proximity of the attacks to the border, with strikes hitting western Ukraine, Poland and its allied aircraft were deployed to secure Polish airspace, according to a statement from the Polish military command.
Zelenskiy renewed his call for more support from Ukraine’s Western allies, urging them to provide additional air defense systems and impose stricter sanctions on Russia. He concluded by stating, “Ukraine has proven it can defend itself and Europe, but for a reliable shield, we must act together.”
(Information from Reuters)
