Ukraine and Russia traded massive drone strikes on Sunday as Kyiv chided allies for not providing it with air defence systems that were just “standing idle” in the West, and the Kremlin noted “positive signals” from US president-elect Donald Trump.
Ukraine’s military said Moscow’s forces launched 145 “Shahed” attack drones at more than a dozen regions of the country, 129 of which were shot down or lost from radar screens, suggesting they were disabled by electronic jamming. Residential buildings were damaged in several cities but no deaths were reported.
Russian officials said Kyiv’s military fired about 84 long-range drones at targets in several regions of the country and that 70 had been shot down, including a record 34 over the Moscow region. At least one person was injured and three airports in the capital briefly suspended arrivals and departures.
“This week, our air defence forces have been working day and night to protect Ukraine’s skies from Russian terror. Last night Russia launched a record 145 Shaheds and other strike drones against Ukraine. Throughout the week, Russia has used more than 800 guided aerial bombs, about 600 strike drones, and nearly 20 missiles of various types,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday.
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“Such terror cannot be stopped with words, and the killing of children and the loss of loved ones cannot simply be forgotten. Security from terror is impossible without bold decisions; this is clear for every country. Without justice, there is no lasting peace, and it is quite realistic for Ukraine to achieve it.”
In his nightly address on Saturday, Mr Zelenskiy said “every meeting” with officials from countries with substantial air defence arsenals centred on the urgent need for “additional protection of Ukraine from Russian terror.”
“Here in Europe, on the Continent, there are enough air defence systems that can ensure a truly effective defence for Ukraine. And this is beyond understanding when air defence systems are just standing there. Standing idle when each system can save hundreds or even thousands of lives,” he added.
Mr Zelenskiy was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Mr Trump on his election victory last week, and then spoke to him by telephone on a call that also reportedly involved US billionaire Elon Musk.
Ukrainian officials have said their “peace through strength” approach to potential talks with Russia aligns with Mr Trump’s ideas, but it is unclear how he will try to make good on a pre-election pledge to end the war “in one day”.
Kyiv has been alarmed by Mr Trump’s repeated praise for Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin and his refusal to unequivocally condemn the all-out invasion of Ukraine that he launched in February 2022. Moscow hopes that Mr Trump will seek to repair ties with the Kremlin but is wary of the tycoon’s reputation for capriciousness.
“The signals are positive. During his election campaign, Trump said he perceives everything through deals, that he can make a deal that will lead everyone to peace. At least, he talks about peace. He does not talk about confrontation, he does not talk about the desire to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. And this distinguishes him from the current administration,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.
Noting that Mr Trump is less predictable than current US president Joe Biden, Mr Peskov added: “And it is also probably less predictable as to what extent he will stick to the statements he made during the election campaign.”
Russia’s invasion force continues to grind forward in eastern Ukraine, where Kyiv’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said “the situation remains challenging and shows signs of escalation”.
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