Russia unleashes 18 missiles, 400 drones in 10-hour air alert – Zelenskyy
Russia launched 18 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and about 400 strike drones, including almost 200 Shaheds, into Ukraine during a 10-hour continuous alert, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, noting that this is an "obvious escalation of terror by Russia."
"This night, Russia launched a massive combined strike that lasted almost ten hours. Eighteen missiles, including ballistic missiles, and about 400 strike drones, including almost 200 Shahed UAVs," he said on Telegram on Thursday.
As Zelenskyy noted, the main target of the attack was Kyiv and the region.
"Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kirovohrad and Kharkiv regions were also hit. Unfortunately, two people died in Kyiv. My condolences to the families and friends of the deceased." According to Zelenskyy, as of now, 16 people are known to have been injured.
"This is an obvious escalation of terror by Russia: hundreds of Shahed UAVs every night, constant strikes, massive attacks against Ukrainian cities. This means we must act more quickly We need to be faster with sanctions and put pressure on Russia so that it feels the consequences of its terror. Partners need to be faster with investments in weapons production and technology development," Zelenskyy said.
The president said he is in touch with partner countries on this topic.
"Today I will talk with partners, in particular within the coalition of the willing, about additional funding for the production of interceptor drones and the supply of air defense for Ukraine. The tasks are absolutely clear. We must respond harshly to such Russian strikes. That is exactly how we will respond," he said.