Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for tougher sanctions on Russia following what officials described as the largest aerial assault since the start of the war.
In a series of posts on X, Zelenskyy stressed that words of condemnation from world leaders must be matched with “strong actions,” including sanctions, tariffs, and trade restrictions. “Russia is trying to inflict pain on Ukraine with even more brazen attacks. This is a clear sign that Putin is testing the world—whether they will accept or tolerate this. Their losses must be felt. That is what is truly convincing,” he said.
The weekend assault saw Russia deploy more than 800 drones and 13 missiles, including four ballistic, striking a Kyiv government building for the first time. An infant was among at least two people killed in the capital, which was under air-raid sirens for 11 hours. Preliminary reports indicated that several drones entered Ukraine from Belarus.
Beyond Kyiv, multiple regions were hit: over 20 houses and a kindergarten in Zaporizhzhia, warehouses in Kryvyi Rih, and residential areas in Odesa. Casualties were also reported in Sumy and Chernihiv.
Zelenskyy emphasized the need for Ukraine to expand its long-range strike capabilities, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not want negotiations” and must face consequences in the form of fuel shortages and economic setbacks.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was ready to impose additional sanctions on Russia, confirming he was prepared to move into a “second phase” of punitive measures.
The latest strikes surpassed the scale of a July attack, previously the largest of the conflict, and came just days after Western nations pledged support for a potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine if a ceasefire deal is reached.
