Volodymyr Zelensky: Ukraine 'fully justified' to strike Russia's energy infrastructure and military production after Kiev attacks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would hit Russia's oil industry, military production capabilities and those responsible for “committing war crimes against Ukraine and Ukrainians” after the latest Russian attacks that killed at least 24 people in Kiev.
“Ukraine will not leave unpunished any blow of the aggressor who takes the lives of our people. We are fully justified to respond against Russia's oil industry, its military production and those directly responsible for committing war crimes against Ukraine and Ukrainians,” Zelensky said, according to The Guardian.
The Kiev leader also warned of Russian plans for “new missile and drone attacks on Ukraine,” including “decision centers” involving the political and military command structures.
The attack, which partially destroyed a large residential building, left 24 people dead and another 48 injured, according to The Kyiv Independent. Among those killed were three children, born in 2008, 2010 and 2013, the military administration of the city of Kyiv said. Russia claims that Ukrainian drones killed four people, including a child, in an overnight attack on the city of Ryazan.
Volodymyr Zelensky also said that Ukraine “continues to document Russia's attempts to draw Belarus deeper into the war against Ukraine” amid intensifying contacts between Moscow and Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko to “convince him to join a new aggressive Russian operation”.
The Ukrainian president suggested that this could involve an attack on Ukraine or “one of the NATO countries”.
“Ukrainians deserve their sovereignty just like any other nation. The people cannot be defeated. Russia must end its war and negotiate a dignified peace, instead of looking for new ways to intimidate Ukraine,” Zelenskiy said.
