He said that restoration work continues in the country after the massive overnight attack by Russia.
“There is not enough pressure on Russia, and any relaxation in existing formats of pressure will only motivate [нелегитимного российского президента Владимира] Putin to prolong this war, causing more harm to our country, our people, and also others in the world. The weak response to Russian insolence gives Russia a motive to continue the war. We need so many sanctions, so much pressure, so much support for life, so that Russia has no means left to survive in war,” Zelensky said.
According to him, the main target of the Russian strike at night was Ukrainian cities, the country's energy sector and people.
As the president said, there were deaths in Dnieper and Kharkov.
He stressed that all responsible officials must “as quickly as possible” restore the supply of electricity, water and heat to those cities where there was damage.
“Officials should be in the regions: in Kharkov, in the Poltava region, our Dnepropetrovsk, our Kirovograd, Donetsk regions, in Kherson – in all those regions where we now need to make operational decisions and help our people. Regional authorities must receive all the necessary support from the center,” Zelensky said.
The President said that during the night, Ukrainian defense forces neutralized more than 400 drones, and also managed to shoot down some missiles.
“And it is very difficult, of course, to counter ballistic and aeroballistic missiles. Only a few systems in the world can shoot down such missiles, shoot them down effectively, and to cover our entire territory, we need many more systems, much more missiles for these systems,” Zelensky noted. “We are working with partners, with America, to buy additional Patriots, we really count on support […] There will be solutions.”
Context
According to the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Russian Federation fired 45 missiles (of which 32 were ballistic) and 458 drones into Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down nine missiles and 406 UAVs. 26 missiles and 52 drones were hit in 25 locations, and debris fell in another four locations. The Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces noted that information about the fall/hit of 10 Russian missiles is being clarified.
As a result of the Russian attack on Ukraine on the night of November 8, problems with power supply arose in a number of regions of Ukraine. Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Igor Klimenko reported that rescuers and police are working at the sites of strikes in Kyiv, Kyiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Kirovograd, Nikolaev, Poltava, Sumy, Kharkov and Chernigov regions.
Earlier, on July 14, US President Donald Trump announced an agreement with NATO allies on arms supplies to Ukraine. He, in particular, announced the transfer of additional Patriots to Ukraine.
On October 20, Zelensky announced that Ukraine was preparing a contract for the purchase of 25 Patriots.
In early November, the president said that Ukraine had received two additional Patriot air defense systems from Germany.
