Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on Western allies to respond decisively to relentless Russian drone attacks that continue to devastate Ukraine.
Speaking in his nightly video address on Saturday, Zelenskiy emphasized that the attacks not only target Ukraine but also undermine international diplomatic efforts to end the war.
“Our partners must understand that these Russian strikes target not only our people but also all international efforts aimed at ending this war,” he said.
Within an hour of his address, a mass Russian drone attack on Kharkiv killed one person and injured 14 others. Overnight strikes in Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih claimed at least four more lives and wounded nine. Ukraine’s military reported that 172 drones were launched at the country, 94 of which were intercepted.
Zelenskiy stressed that Ukraine expects a serious response from America, Europe, and other global partners. While the U.S. has brokered two recent ceasefire agreements—one to protect Black Sea shipping and another to halt attacks on energy sites—both sides have accused each other of violating the deals.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, updated Zelenskiy on frontline conditions along the 1,000-km battlefield. The president confirmed that Ukrainian forces are conducting operations inside Russian territory, particularly in the Kursk region, in an effort to divert Russian military pressure away from Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
As tensions escalate, Ukraine awaits a firm international response to Russia’s continued aggression.
