Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western countries to do better in implementing sanctions to prevent Russian “terrorism” in Ukraine.
Every missile that hits Ukraine contained components that were sourced from companies in other countries and imported via the territory of Russia’s neighbours, Zelensky said in his evening video address on Sunday.
“All of this must and can be stopped: the connivance at terror, the ability of terrorists to seek accomplices around the world, and all forms of Russian terror itself.”
Zelensky called for more support from the West in the defence against Russian air and missile attacks and pointed to the largely successful defence against Iranian attacks on Israel on Saturday night.
“The whole world sees what real defense is. It sees that it is feasible,” Zelensky said. The world also saw that Israel was not alone in its defence and was supported by allies.
“And when Ukraine says that its allies should not turn a blind eye to Russian missiles and drones, it means action is needed – a bold one.”
“Unfortunately, assistance to Ukraine is still limited, and the Russian state still has access to critical components needed to produce missiles and drones,” he said.
The longer help is delayed, the more confidence the Russian military gains, he added. “Ukraine, the Middle East, and all other parts of the world equally deserve a just and lasting peace.”
Ukraine’s cities continue to endure aerial attacks, with several more deaths and injuries reported over the weekend. In the city of Nikopol, at least four people were injured by Russian artillery fire and several houses were reported to have caught fire.
In the Dnipro region in south-east Ukraine, 15 people were injured on Sunday by falling debris from a Russian cruise missile that was brought down. Some 30 residential buildings were also damaged, the regional military administration said on Telegram.
The reports came after Russian overnight drone attacks on Ukraine that focused on the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, continuing a pattern seen over recent weeks, Ukrainian authorities reported earlier.
“Kharkiv is a danger zone. The city is coming under attack from Shahed drones,” city mayor Ihor Terekhov posted on Telegram shortly before midnight on Saturday.
On Sunday, the Ukrainian air force reported that all 10 Russian drones over the Kharkiv region had been intercepted.
The air attack had targeted critical infrastructure of the city, which lies some 40 kilometres south of the Russian border, Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. National public broadcaster Suspilne reported power cuts in some parts of the city.
Before Russian launched its all-out invasion in February 2022, Kharkiv was Ukraine’s second-largest city and had a population of around 1.5 million.
Russia has intensified its attacks on the city since mid-March, hitting power supplies in particular. Given its proximity to the Russian border, the aerial attacks come with little advance warning, and there are fears that the city could gradually become uninhabitable.
The village of Vesele, which lies in the region close to the Russian border, suffered a hit. A couple were found dead in their bombed-out home.
In Moscow, the Russian Defence Ministry reported on Sunday that 10 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted in the early hours over the Krasnodar region in the south of the country. Details about possible targets were not released.