At least four people were killed across Ukraine as Russia launched its third largest aerial attacks since Moscow’s full-fledged invasion in 2022. The 12-hour air raid lasted from Saturday night into Sunday morning and involved 595 drones and 48 missiles, including two ballistic missiles and powerful cruise missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
“This vile attack took place practically as the UN General Assembly week was concluding, and this is exactly how Russia declares its real position,” Zelensky said.
Over seventy people, including three children, were killed across the country – 42 in capital Kyiv and surrounding regions, 31 in southern Zaporizhzhia region. The head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said: “Once again, residential buildings and infrastructure are being hit. Once again, it is a war against civilians. There will be a response to these actions. But the west’s economic blows against Russia must also be stronger.” In response to Russia’s large-scale air raid, neighbouring Poland closed its airspace in southeastern cities of Lublin and Rzeszow for several hours. Polish army said it scrambled fighter jets and put ground-based air defence systems on high alert.
Zelenskiy said the long Russian bombardment was the “virtual culmination” of last week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting in which US President Donald Trump expressed his strongest support for Ukraine so far.
"This dastardly attack took place in fact as the end of the week of the UN General Assembly, and this is how Russia declares its real position," Zelenskiy noted, while reiterating his support for Donald Trump’s call for stronger sanctions against Russia and the demand to curb EU’s oil and gas purchase from Moscow.
Speaking on Saturday following his meeting with Trump, Zelenskiy warned that Russia was preparing for a wider war in Europe and would not stop in Ukraine. Zelenskiy suggested that Moscow was deliberately violating NATO’s airspace to check the alliance’s readiness and resolve after drone sightings over Poland, Romania, Denmark and the violation of Estonia’s airspace with fighter jets.
NATO on Saturday announced it was sending reinforcement to the Baltic region hours after Denmark reported sighting of unidentified drones over its key military facilities for the second time this week. The military assets include new intelligence, surveillance assets, and at least one air-defense frigate to be send to the Baltic region.
Russia has denied its involvement in these drone sightings. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the General Assembly this week that any aggression to his country would be met with “decisive response”.
