Zelenskyy: Ukraine will strike back to weaken Russia's ability to prolong war
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine will continue to respond to Russian attacks in a way that erodes Russia's capacity to drag out the war. He noted that the gasoline shortage in Russia is one consequence of Ukraine's long-range strikes.
In his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on Russian strikes on multiple Ukrainian cities, including Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kherson, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Sumy regions. He accused Russian forces of “hunting” civilian objects and vehicles in Zaporizhzhia using FPV drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles. The strike on a civilian enterprise in Dnipro he called “cruel and utterly senseless.”
Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine will respond to every attack so that the Russian state system and its ability to prolong the war suffer first. He noted that the gasoline deficit in Russia is a result of the war and Ukrainian long-range strikes. “We are bringing the reality of war back to Russia and making the continuation of the occupation of our land as difficult as possible,” the president said.
The president thanked Ukrainian troops holding the defense, especially in Donetsk region, which sees the highest number of Russian assaults. He recalled that since the start of the full-scale war, Russia has postponed its deadline for capturing Donetsk region 15 times.
Zelenskyy also announced active international work in the coming weeks and expressed hope for positive decisions from partners. “June and July should be productive for Ukraine, first of all for our shared aspiration to guarantee security. Peace is needed,” he said.
Earlier on June 29, Russian forces attacked a civilian bus in Zaporizhzhia for the second time that day, also hitting the regional administration building. Seven people were injured. In the morning, a strike on Dnipro damaged a private enterprise.
