Ukrainian President Zelenskiy calls for stronger international pressure on Russia after a major overnight air strike damages critical infrastructure.
KYIV
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking to ramp up international pressure on Moscow following a major Russian air offensive that targeted Ukraine’s energy and transportation networks. Zelenskiy will meet with leaders in Denmark and France to discuss stronger sanctions and support measures.
Russian forces launched over 500 drones and dozens of missiles overnight, striking 14 locations across Ukraine and injuring four railway workers, officials said. Ukrainian authorities reported widespread damage to transport hubs, residential buildings, and power infrastructure, causing delays in rail services and power outages affecting tens of thousands of consumers. In the Ivano-Frankivsk region, fires consumed nearly 10,800 square yards of storage facilities.
“These attacks are a clear demonstration of Russia’s aggression, continuing due to insufficient pressure on its war economy,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram. He emphasized that upcoming meetings with Nordic, Baltic, EU, and U.S. partners will focus on concrete measures to strengthen Ukraine’s defense and provide security guarantees to deter future attacks.
Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the three-and-a-half-year conflict, NATO and European officials are expected to clarify Kyiv’s potential security assurances at a Paris meeting on Friday. U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled support for European-led peacekeeping initiatives but ruled out deploying American troops. Russia, meanwhile, rejects any future foreign forces on Ukrainian soil.
Explosions were reported across nine regions, from Kyiv to western cities like Lviv and Volyn. Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted the majority of the assault, downing 430 drones and 21 missiles. Russia maintains its strikes target military objectives, denying intentional civilian harm, though thousands have died since the war began.