Kyiv [Ukraine], September 19 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia carried out a massive drone strike overnight, launching nearly 90 UAVs across multiple regions, and urged stronger international measures to push Moscow toward diplomacy.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, "Since last night, Russia has been carrying out a drone attack on Ukraine - nearly 90 strike UAVs. Our warriors managed to neutralize most of them. I thank them for defending our skies."
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1968926899456905309
Detailing the impact of the strikes, he noted that the Donetsk region, Kyiv region and the capital, Sumy region, Kharkiv region, Chernihiv region, and Dnipro region all came under attack. "Among the targets were Ukraine's infrastructure and our enterprises. In Pavlohrad, Dnipro region, two people were wounded. In Kyiv, recovery efforts are underway after the Russian attack, which damaged public transport infrastructure. All necessary services are involved," he said.
Condemning Moscow's actions, Zelenskyy remarked, "Once again, the Russians strike civilians at a time when the entire world - and above all the United States - is calling for peace. We hear President Trump's position on ending the killings, and we have agreed to all the proposals to unblock diplomacy. But it seems this position is not being heard in Russia."
He linked these developments to the need for bolstering Ukraine's defenses and international partnerships. "This means that we must more actively implement everything that strengthens us: the PURL initiative, co-production, and the finalization of security guarantees. On the table are large-scale agreements on drones and arms procurement that Ukraine has proposed to the United States," Zelenskyy said.
Reiterating his call for support, he added, "Decisive action is needed so that Russia ultimately agrees to diplomacy as well. I thank everyone who is helping."
The intensifying use of drones was also reported across the border. The Air Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) destroyed drones over several districts of the Rostov region, the acting governor of the region, Yuri Slyusar, announced on September 17.
"The air defence forces repelled an enemy air attack at night, destroying and intercepting UAVs in Chertkovsky, Kuibyshevsky and Dubovsky districts," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
The escalation highlights the growing reliance on drones in the conflict, with both sides reporting frequent aerial attacks.
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