KYIV: Ukraine received no early warning from its partners about a Russian ballistic missile strike on Kyiv in which five missiles hit civilian infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday in a post on X.
Zelensky characterized the barrage on the capital as “particularly vile,” and emphasized that receiving intelligence from Ukraine’s partners on such ballistic missile attacks “helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues.”
“This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed — when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles,” he wrote. He did not apportion blame for the lack of warning.
Russia’s war in Ukraine hasn’t seen major shifts on the ground since last year, but Ukraine is struggling to fend off Moscow’s intensified aerial attacks on cities that include speedy ballistic missiles and high-flying jet-powered drones.
Since last evening and up to now, the Russians have attacked Ukraine with more than a hundred different weapons – jet-powered drones, loitering munitions, and ballistic missiles. A significant portion of these strike assets were shot down. But unfortunately, not all of them.
An ordinary residential building was destroyed in Kharkiv; the rescue operation continued virtually all night as first responders searched for people under the rubble. Four people were killed in this strike on the building in Kharkiv. My condolences to all their families and loved ones. In Kharkiv alone, 41 people were injured in just one evening. There was also a particularly vile ballistic missile strike on Kyiv – five missiles that hit civilian infrastructure. Unfortunately, we received no early warning from our partners about this strike. Intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues. This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed – when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles.
Ukraine has not carried out strikes on Russian oil refineries or the energy sector in general for the two days since the American President announced an energy ceasefire. But Russia did not heed the American President. During this time, the Russians have attacked both our energy facilities and our critical infrastructure, sending absolutely clear signals that they have no intention of refraining from strikes on Ukraine. Nineteen regions of our country have come under attack in these two days alone. Our position remains unchanged: Ukraine is ready for reciprocal steps toward de-escalation, and effective pressure on Russia is needed to make de-escalation happen. Wars end when the aggressor realizes that it cannot prolong the war.
Global pressure on Russia contributes to exactly that – bringing peace closer. But direct or indirect support for Russia, slowing down assistance to Ukraine, and making it harder to protect lives against ballistic missiles will certainly not help bring peace. Everyone needs peace. A strong America, a strong Europe, and strong partners are needed. Thank you to everyone who is truly helping!
Zelensky said Russia had attacked Ukraine with more than 100 weapons since Monday evening. Among the damage was a residential building in the northeastern city of Kharkiv that was destroyed, killing four people despite an all-night rescue operation, he said.
Russia has increasingly used attacks on civilian infrastructure such as energy facilities to deny Ukrainians power, heat and running water during the 4 1/2-year war, hoping to wear down public support for Ukraine’s response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
Zelensky says Ukraine is respecting energy ceasefire
US President Donald Trump has blamed Ukraine’s earlier strikes on Russian oil refineries for record US diesel prices — rather than the US-led war in Iran — and struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to import diesel from Russia in an attempt to bring fuel prices down ahead of US midterm elections.
Meanwhile, Trump claimed on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed on an “energy ceasefire” in which both parties would refrain from striking each other’s energy infrastructure. Russia has not confirmed the existence of such a deal, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday saying only that “contacts on this matter continue.”
Zelensky on Tuesday said Ukraine had not struck Russian oil refineries or other energy sites in the two days since Trump announced the purported deal. He criticized Moscow for what he said were Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities and critical infrastructure in the time since Trump’s announcement.
“These are absolutely clear signals that they have no intention of refraining from strikes on Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
The claim that Ukraine has halted its strikes on energy sites could not be independently verified, but neither Russian officials nor media have reported Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries since the energy truce was announced.
Russian strikes across Ukraine caused injuries and deaths overnight Monday and into Tuesday, with Zelensky saying that in addition to the four deaths in the apartment building in Kharkiv, 41 people were wounded in the city in one evening alone.
A woman was wounded in a Russian strike on a private home in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, the Kyiv city military administration said, while a Russian drone hit a residential building in the village of Murovane, near the western city of Lviv, during a morning attack Tuesday, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said.
One person was killed in the Fastiv district of the Kyiv region and at least two others were hurt in a Russian attack on the area, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration.
A Russian drone struck an educational institution in the center of Rivne in northwest Ukraine, wounding 14 people, according to Oleksandr Koval, head of the Rivne regional military administration.
