Lithuanian Foreign Minister on Russia’s night attack: Aggressor to persist unless stopped

Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys expressed condolences to the victims of Russia’s overnight strike on Ukraine, noting that Ukraine had halted the aggressor’s advance and urging allies to step up their efforts.

He wrote this on the social network X, Ukrinform reports.

Budrys pointed out that Russia attacked Ukraine on the eve of the UN General Assembly meeting.

“Russia once again showed its cynical, brutal face by launching drones and missiles at civilian homes and infrastructure in Ukraine. The real intentions behind “peace talks” are now manifestly clear. Our deepest condolences go out to the innocent victims of this barbaric attack and their loved ones. We mourn together with the people of Ukraine,” Budrys wrote.

He stressed that “the aggressor won’t stop until he is stopped.” Budrys recalled that Ukraine had largely halted Russia’s advance on land and at sea, but also “desperately needs our help in the air: it needs air defense systems, and it needs financial support to further develop its own capabilities, which have already shown incredible progress.”

“Lithuania has committed its share to procuring Patriot systems for Ukraine. Now is the time for everyone to step up and ask themselves: have we done enough, and could we do more to end this madness sooner?” the Lithuanian Foreign Minister stated.

As reported by Ukrinform, during the night of September 20, Russian invaders launched 40 missiles and about 580 UAVs against Ukraine. The Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions came under attack. As of now, dozens of injuries have been confirmed, with three people killed.