Russia launches largest attack on Ukraine to date, Zelensky calls for US support
Make us a preferred source
Make us a preferred source on Google
The news: Russia launched its largest attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its invasion in 2022, Kyiv reported on Sunday, undermining hopes that a truce will be reached via negotiations.
The numbers: The Ukrainian air force said via Telegram that Russia fired 537 aerial weapons in a single overnight barrage beginning late on Saturday. The attack included 477 explosive drones and decoys, as well as 60 missiles. Kyiv was able to intercept 211 drones and 38 missiles.
The context: Authorities in Ukraine said that one civilian was killed in Kherson, two were killed in Kharkiv and several residential buildings sustained damage across a number of cities.
Ukraine also said that one of its F-16 fighter jet pilots, Lieutenant General Col Maksym Ustymenko was killed when his aircraft sustained damage while downing targets. He was unable to eject in time to survive.
“Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence — the thing that best protects lives,” Zelensky wrote on X. “These are American systems, which we are ready to buy. We count on leadership, political will, and the support of the United States, Europe, and all our partners. I thank everyone who is helping."
Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed via Telegram that it conducted a large-scale strikes which targeted Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex and oil refineries,” without elaborating. “All designated targets were hit.”
On Sunday the Kremlin moved to expand the range of information covered by Russia’s state secrecy law, with a decree published on the government’s legal website stating that details of Russia’s foreign policy, international trade and economic policy, scientific developments and preparations for possible military mobilisation are now classified as secret if disclosure is considered to harm national security, Bloomberg reports. Anyone who received such material in an unauthorised way could face prison time of up to eight years.
