Zelensky again calls for weapons after 7 people killed in Russian attack in Zaporizhia region

CNN
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At least seven people, including children, were killed and at least 31 injured after Russia launched a missile strike on the town of Vilniansk in southern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday, officials said Ukrainians.

“[Today] “This is a day of mourning in the Zaporizhzhia region for those killed in the enemy attack on Vilnyansk,” Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, said on Sunday. “There is indescribable pain.”

Three children were among those killed and eight children among the injured, Fedorov said.

The attack damaged critical infrastructure, as well as a store and residential buildings, he said Saturday. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said commercial buildings, homes and vehicles also caught fire.

Speaking to the national police, a local resident who witnessed the strike said: “It was a weekend, everyone was resting… it wasn't even late, it wasn't night, a missile hit. »

She continued: “Children died, children were injured. Adults too. Without reason. The kids had a graduation party, they were leaving school. They were planning their future.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered condolences to those who lost loved ones in the attack and called for more long-range weapons, saying Ukraine must “strike with real long-range capability and increase the number of advanced air defense systems in Ukraine.

“I am grateful to all the partners who are helping us. And the decisions we need must be accelerated. Any delay in decisions in this war means loss of life,” he wrote on Telegram.

Recent developments on the ground have seen Russia make slow but steady tactical gains on multiple fronts in Ukraine. Russia also launched a surprise cross-border attack in May.

In the Donetsk region, Russia has advanced towards Chasiv Yar as it attempts to capture the strategic hilltop town.

During its offensive, Russia exploited Ukraine's weaknesses, including labor shortages and delays in Western supplies.

As Zelensky reiterates calls for more long-range weapons, these developments have once again highlighted Ukraine's dependence on munitions and weapons from the United States and others. allies.

Concerns have been raised about how long US aid will continue if former US President Donald Trump is re-elected in November.

Thursday's debate saw US President Joe Biden struggle, while Trump questioned continued funding of Ukraine's fight against Russia.

Ukrainian politician Oleksiy Goncharenko told CNN that Trump's comments about the war in Ukraine were “worrying.”

“We are very concerned because we more or less understand what this means for Ukraine, [a] The Biden presidency, and we really don't know what that means for Ukraine, a Trump presidency. It could be very good, it could be very bad. We just don't know. And that's really concerning,” Goncharenko said.