‘US silence encouraging Putin,’ says Zelensky after Russia’s largest air attack in war yet

After Russia launched the biggest air raid of the war against Ukraine, killing 12 people in overnight strikes by launching nearly 300 drones and 70 missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged international leaders to increase their pressure on Russia and said the silence of America and others around the world only encourages Putin to drag the war and kill every day.

Referring to the deadly overnight airstrikes, Zelensky said that each such ‘terrorist’ Russian strike is a sufficient reason for new sanctions against Russia.

He added that only strong pressure on the Russian leadership will stop this brutality.

The Ukrainian leader said rescuers are working in over 30 Ukrainian cities and villages after nearly 300 attack drones and almost 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, were launched by Russia overnight.

“The targets were Kyiv and the region, as well as Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Chernihiv, Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X, in which he said the strikes were deliberately targeting “ordinary cities”.

‘Russia is dragging the war on, continues to kill every day’

“Each such terrorist Russian strike is a sufficient reason for new sanctions against Russia. Russia is dragging out this war and continues to kill every day. The world may go on a weekend break, but the war continues, regardless of weekends and weekdays. This cannot be ignored. Silence of America, silence of others around the world only encourage Putin,” he further said in the post.

“Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped. Sanctions will certainly help. Determination matters now – the determination of the United States, of European countries, and of all those around the world who seek peace,” Zelensky added.

‘Russia bent on the annihilation of Ukraine,’ says EU’s Kaja Kallas

The European Union foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, also called for “the strongest international pressure” on Russia after two days of heavy Russian air raids hit civilian buildings in Ukraine.

“Last night’s attacks again show Russia is bent on more suffering and the annihilation of Ukraine. Devastating to see children among innocent victims harmed and killed. My thoughts are with the families today. We need the strongest international pressure on Russia to stop this war,” said Kallas, the former Estonian prime minister and a staunch ally of Ukraine, in a post.

The EU on Tuesday agreed to impose fresh sanctions on Russia, notably targeting almost 200 ships from the shadow fleet illicitly transporting oil to skirt Western restrictions.