Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised the international community for failing to respond strongly enough to Russia’s intensifying attacks on civilian areas, warning that Moscow must face greater consequences for its continued missile and drone bombardment.
Zelenskyy’s criticism came as Russian forces launched another wave of overnight attacks across Ukraine, killing at least two people and injuring seven others, according to Ukrainian officials. The strikes involved ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones and targeted six regions.
The Ukrainian President said in a social media post that international sanctions and diplomatic efforts to isolate Russia had so far failed to stop the war, arguing that stronger measures were needed to deter further attacks.
“Unfortunately, there has been too little response from the international community to these strikes, which are taking people’s lives practically every day.
“But a response is needed — Moscow must not go into the winter believing that it can get away with missile and drone terror without consequences.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Russia has intensified its aerial campaign against Ukraine in recent weeks, including a sustained series of nighttime and daytime attacks on Kyiv that began at the end of August. Ukrainian officials have described the bombardment as the heaviest prolonged assault on the capital since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than four years ago.
The attacks have continued into September, with Ukrainian officials accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilian areas in an effort to undermine public morale.
In Kyiv, four people were among those wounded when a drone struck a 22-storey residential building in the Darnytskyi district. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the drone damaged the 11th floor and started a fire on the 12th floor.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that its forces had instead targeted a warehouse housing a drone factory in Kyiv. It also reported strikes on fuel reservoirs and an electrical substation in the southern port city of Mykolaiv.
The Russian military further claimed that it had struck a ship travelling to Odesa with military cargo, as well as logistical facilities at Ukraine’s Starokozache border crossing with Moldova. Ukrainian authorities said the attack on the border area killed two people.
The latest violence comes amid renewed US efforts to broker an end to the conflict. American special envoys travelled to Kyiv and Moscow over the weekend, but the diplomatic initiative has yet to produce a significant breakthrough.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said the talks had been “substantive” but acknowledged that considerable work remained before an agreement could be reached.
The United Nations has meanwhile warned of the growing civilian toll from Russia’s aerial campaign. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that Russian attacks killed or wounded more Ukrainian civilians in July than in any month since March 2022, with 437 people killed and more than 2,600 wounded.
Overall, the monitoring mission has recorded more than 16,800 civilian deaths and over 51,000 injuries since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Ukraine’s international partners to increase pressure on Moscow through sanctions and other measures, arguing that the current approach has not been sufficient to stop the attacks.
Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Novorossiysk Naval Base
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was responding to Russia’s attacks with daily long-range strikes against infrastructure deep inside Russian territory, including a recent attack on the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
According to Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian attack targeted a naval base, an oil-loading terminal, military port facilities and Russian warships equipped with cruise missiles.
Ukraine’s General Staff described the Novorossiysk naval base as an important hub for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, providing maintenance and logistical support for its vessels.
The attack caused significant casualties in the surrounding area, with Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev saying four people, including a child, were killed and 29 others injured.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its air defences had intercepted 596 Ukrainian drones between late Tuesday and early Wednesday, reflecting the scale of Ukraine’s expanding long-range campaign against Russian territory.
Nonetheless, Zelenskyy’s remarks suggest that Kyiv intends to maintain that pressure while continuing to call for stronger international action against Russia.
As the conflict enters another winter, Zelenskyy is warning that without a stronger international response, Russia could conclude that it can continue its aerial campaign without facing consequences.
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