Zelenskyy Condemns Russian Strikes as Civilian Death Toll Renews Air-Defense Pressure
Russian missiles and drones killed at least eight civilians and wounded 35 others across Ukraine on Monday, according to Associated Press reporting carried by ABC News, in another wave of attacks that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as “horrific.”
The strikes hit multiple regions. In Dnipro, Zelenskyy said a Russian missile targeting infrastructure killed five people and wounded 29. In Zaporizhzhia, Russian drones struck a passenger minibus, killing three people and wounding six, including a child. Ukrainian police also reported that drone attacks killed a 69-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man in the Sumy region.
The attack also had a practical consequence beyond the immediate casualties. Ukraine’s grid operator said some customers in eight regions were left without power after Russian strikes, as hot weather increased electricity demand.
Zelenskyy used the aftermath to renew his call for Europe to strengthen anti-ballistic defenses. He said civilians need greater protection and argued that Europe must move faster to develop its own systems and missiles capable of stopping ballistic threats.
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The policy stakes are clear. Ukraine is asking allies not only for continued support, but for air-defense capacity that can reduce civilian casualties during repeated Russian missile and drone barrages.
The Kremlin has shown no sign of softening its position. Reuters reported Monday that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s conditions for a Ukraine peace deal remain unchanged, including demands that Kyiv withdraw from four regions Moscow claims and publicly drop NATO ambitions.
That leaves Ukraine facing two linked pressures: protecting civilians from continuing strikes while pushing allies for weapons systems that could blunt Russia’s aerial campaign.
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