Zelensky demands harsher western action after Russia’s deadly strike on Kyiv

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Europe and the United States to intensify pressure on Moscow after one of Russia’s heaviest bombardments of Kyiv in months killed 23 civilians, including four children.

The overnight assault left a gaping crater in a residential block, reduced cars to twisted metal, and shattered offices belonging to the EU mission, the British Council, and local media outlets.

Rescuers worked into the evening, carrying bodies from the rubble as fires smouldered across the capital.

“This was not just an attack on Ukraine, it was a strike on Europe’s conscience,” Zelensky said in a virtual meeting with leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Denmark.

He pressed allies to issue a “joint and powerful signal” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, insisting that “only decisive leadership can end this war.”

The barrage, which Ukraine’s air force said involved more than 600 drones and missiles, was one of the largest since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukrainian officials also reported a “rare” Russian drone strike on a naval vessel in the Black Sea, killing at least one crew member and leaving several missing.

The Kremlin claimed the attacks were aimed at “military facilities,” but Kyiv denounced them as the deliberate targeting of civilians.

“Diplomacy has been reduced to rubble alongside our homes,” Zelensky declared, urging fresh sanctions against Moscow.

Western leaders echoed his anger. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the assault as “terror and barbarism,” while Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Putin of “sabotaging peace.” Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the strikes revealed “Russia’s true face.” The EU and UK both summoned Russia’s ambassadors in protest.

In Washington, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump was “not surprised” by the strikes but remained committed to pushing for a ceasefire. His team is due to meet Zelensky’s aides in New York on Friday.

Meanwhile, Moscow has hardened its demands, insisting Kyiv must cede more territory and abandon Western military support, conditions Ukraine has rejected outright. Despite a recent Trump–Putin summit in Alaska, the Kremlin has ruled out any direct talks between Putin and Zelensky.

While Russian troops claimed another minor gain in Donetsk, Kyiv announced retaliatory strikes on two major oil refineries inside Russia, describing them as “measured responses” to Moscow’s escalating campaign.

For ordinary Ukrainians, the devastation is personal. Galina Shcherbak, caught near one blast site, recalled: “Glass was flying, we screamed, we thought it was the end.”

Another resident, Andriy, said he survived only by seconds: “If I had reached the shelter a minute later, I would have been buried.”

As the war continues, Zelensky insists Europe must step up. “This moment cannot be wasted,” he told allies. “The world must decide whether peace is built on justice, or on fear of Putin.”

Zelensky demands harsher western action after Russia’s deadly strike on Kyiv