Zelenskyy Warns of Retaliation as Drone Strikes Hit Moscow

The overnight assault targeted Moscow with scores of drones, marking the second time in a week that a major oil refinery in the Russian capital has been struck. Zelenskyy, speaking via a voice message to reporters ahead of a scheduled meeting with military allies in Brussels, asserted that Ukraine never sought this conflict. He emphasized that the drone campaign serves as a defensive response to persistent Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilian and cultural sites.

In Brussels, the Ukrainian leader plans to press NATO partners for accelerated air defense supplies and the development of a joint anti-ballistic missile system. Beyond military hardware, he urged the United States and European nations to intensify sanctions on Russia’s energy and defense sectors. Zelenskyy stated that the international community must increase pressure on President Vladimir Putin to force an end to the hostilities, adding that even the Russian public needs to confront the reality of the war.