Russia launches largest drone and missile attack on Ukraine as Zelensky urges tougher sanctions and US backs arms supply. Photo/X
In what Ukraine has described as the largest aerial assault since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion over three years ago, Moscow launched a massive barrage of drones and missiles on Wednesday, primarily targeting the western regions of the country.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia deployed 728 drones and 13 missiles in the latest wave of attacks. Ukrainian air defense systems successfully intercepted 711 of those drones and destroyed at least seven missiles, the air force said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to social media, and wrote, “This is a telling attack , and it comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace, to establish a ceasefire, and yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all.”
Also Read: US President Donald Trump Confirms Additional Weapons Supply To Ukraine
President Zelensky reiterated his call for allies of Ukraine to increase sanctions on Russia. He specifically asked to target Russia’s energy sector, which continues to fuel Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
He said Ukraine’s allies know how they can put pressure Russia and end the war.
“Our partners know how to apply pressure in a way that will force Russia to think about ending the war, not launching new strikes,” Zelensky said.
Igor Polishchuk, mayor of Ukrainian city of Lutsk, Mayor reported that fires had broken out at a local “enterprise” due to the attack. However, he did not confirm any casualties.
Recently Russia sent 550 drones and missiles however the scale of Wednesday’s attack surpassed it.
The largest ever attack on Ukraine from Russia came just as the United States showed willingness to supply weapons to Kyiv reversing the earlier decision. The Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, poinnted out the timing of the Russian offensive relating it to Trump’s decison to arm Ukraine.
“It is quite telling that Russia carried out this attack just as the United States publicly announced that it would supply us with weapons,” Yermak wrote on social media.
The latest barrage is a sharp escalation in Russia’s cross-border aerial attacks. According to figures released by Ukraine’s air force, June saw the highest monthly number of strikes to date, with 5,438 drones and 239 missiles launched by Russian forces.
Despite the increasing frequency and scale of attacks, the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump last week confirmed that it had frozen shipments of certain air defense and precision-guided weapons to Ukraine, citing concerns over American stockpile levels.
Also Read: Did Donald Trump Say He’d ‘Bomb Sh*t Out Of Moscow’ If Putin Invaded Ukraine? Audio Is Viral
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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