President Volodymyr Zelensky said that during the latest aerial attack, Russian forces used 70 missiles, many of them ballistic, as well as Shahed drones, with energy infrastructure among the main targets. Infrastructure in Kyiv and 12 regions came under attack.
“One of the key targets [of the Russian attack] was our energy sector. The Russians wanted to strike painfully and demonstratively. This was one of the most insidious attacks: 70 missiles in total, many of them ballistic, as well as Shaheds. Unfortunately, only some of them were intercepted. Russian ballistic missiles remain the greatest challenge,” Zelensky said.
According to him, air defence packages are now a vital necessity.
“That is why every day we are searching for missiles for Patriot systems, which can and must actually protect people’s lives here, in Ukrainian skies,” the President stressed.
He also noted that the attack took place on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s birthday.
“Today, for Putin’s birthday, the Russian army ‘gave him’ the destruction of a residential building in Pryluky, Chernihiv region. It was an ordinary five-storey building. Unfortunately, at this time, five people are known to have been killed and 26 injured, including five children. There may still be people under the rubble. Rescuers are working continuously at the site, doing everything possible to find everyone,” the head of state said.
According to Zelensky, Russian missile strikes also damaged five apartment buildings in Dnipro and four high-rise buildings in Kremenchuk, where two people were killed and eight injured. A high-rise building in Zaporizhzhia was damaged by a drone. In Kyiv, Russian attacks killed two people. Two more people were killed in Oleksandriia, Kirovohrad region.
“My condolences to all the families and loved ones of those killed. Overall, infrastructure in Kyiv and 12 regions came under attack during the night,” Zelensky said.
