Zelenskyy urges tougher sanctions after Russian strike kills at least 17 in Kyiv region

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for tougher sanctions on Russia and faster deliveries of air defence systems after a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 17 people and injured 44.

Zelenskyy on Wednesday described the assault as a heavy attack, saying Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles, four Zircon and Oniks cruise missiles, and 115 drones, many of them jet-powered.

He said the primary targets were civilian warehouses, while infrastructure and a railway station were also hit. He added damaged civilian sites included a brewery, construction materials warehouses and logistics facilities unrelated to military operations.

The Ukrainian president said additional anti-ballistic missile interceptors could have prevented casualties, urging Kyiv's international partners to speed up deliveries of air defence systems.

He also argued that significant parts of Russia's ballistic missile production industry remained outside existing sanctions and called on countries unable to provide additional interceptors to increase economic pressure on Moscow instead.

Zelenskyy urged the G7, the European Union and other allies to adopt new sanctions, saying stronger measures were needed to protect civilian lives.

The overnight attack killed 14 people in the Kyiv region and one person in the capital, bringing the confirmed nationwide death toll to at least 17, while 44 people were reported injured.