Zelensky calls on allies to pressure Putin after another major attack in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on allies to pressure Russia to stop its war against Ukraine, starting with an air and naval ceasefire, after Moscow carried out a massive drone and missile attack on energy and gas infrastructure in several Ukrainian regions on Friday.

Zelensky said on social media on Friday that Russia fired nearly 70 cruise and ballistic missiles and launched about 200 drones against various energy facilities in Ukraine. Residential buildings were also hit during the attack.

Zelensky did not say whether there were any casualties in the attack, which came at a time when diplomatic efforts for peace talks have been stepped up. A Ukrainian delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with US officials, with the aim of finding a framework for a peace deal.

"The first steps to establishing genuine peace must be to force the sole source of this war, which is Russia, to stop these very attacks on life," Zelensky wrote.

"This can be controlled in a real way. Silence in the sky, a ban on the use of missiles, long-range drones and aerial bombs. And also silence at sea, a real guarantee of normal navigation," he added.

The massive attack, the 30th on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since Russia began its wide-ranging invasion in 2022, is part of a broader Russian strategy to target Ukraine's vital energy sector. In the past two weeks, Russian attacks have repeatedly hit energy facilities in the Odessa region.

The Ukrainian Air Force said the attack began at 3:03 a.m. when Russia launched Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea. Shortly after, a warning was given to send a MiG-31K fighter jet, which carries Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.

Russian forces also launched a barrage of drones in a coordinated attack. Zelensky said F-16 and Mirage-2000 jets, provided by France, were used to help repel the attack.

In the wake of Friday's attack, Poland activated its air defense systems and scrambled fighter jets. The Polish Armed Forces said that, due to Russia's long-range air activities, Poland and its allies have launched an air operation to monitor and respond to any threats.

Naftohaz, Ukraine's state-owned gas company, confirmed that this was the 17th combined attack on its infrastructure.

The company's executive director, Roman Chumak, said that production facilities, essential for gas extraction, were severely damaged, but recovery efforts had already begun.

Despite Moscow's repeated denials that it is not attacking civilian infrastructure, Ukraine and international organizations have called these attacks war crimes./REL