Zelensky on third night of terror: Russia can only be constrained by force, more sanctions needed
The head of state said this in a post on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.
According to Zelensky, the Russian army launched the largest number of drones against Ukrainian cities and communities since the beginning of the full-scale war.
"355 attack UAVs, mostly Shaheds. There were also nine cruise missiles. Sadly, there are injured people and damage to civilian infrastructure," he said.
Zelensky noted that the geography of last night's strike stretched from the Chernihiv region to the Khmelnytskyi region and from the Kharkiv region to the Odesa region and that this was already the third consecutive night of combined Russian terror — attack drones and missiles.
"Only a sense of total impunity can allow Russia to carry out such strikes and continue increasing their scale. There is no real military logic to this, but there is significant political meaning. In doing this, Putin shows just how much he despises the world — the world that spends more effort on 'dialogue' with him than on real pressure," he said.
Like any criminal, Zelensky said, Russia can only be constrained by force.
"Only through strength — the strength of the United States, of Europe, of all nations that value life — can these attacks be stopped and real peace achieved," he said.
According to Zelensky, the increase in Russian strikes should be met with increased sanctions. Russia's disregard for diplomacy and refusal even to consider a ceasefire must be met with a freeze on Russian finances and a halt to its oil trade.
He thanked everyone around the world who is advocating for exactly this kind of strong agenda.
"Russia must end its war. And for that to happen, we must deprive them of the resources that fuel their will to fight," Zelensky said.
Ukraine's air defense forces shot down nine Kh-101 cruise missiles and neutralized 288 of the 355 drones that the Russians used to attack Ukraine since the evening of May 25.
Photos: Ukraine's State Emergency Service
