Ukraine drone barrage targets Moscow as Zelenskyy demands accountability for Putin

[ad_1] LONDON -- At the least 10 Ukrainian drones had been shot down on their strategy to Moscow in a single day into Sunday morning, in line with town's mayor, with momentary restrictions launched at two of the capital's airports.

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin mentioned emergency providers had been dispatched to the affect websites of the downed drones. Russia's Protection Ministry mentioned the uncrewed plane attacking Moscow had been amongst 67 Ukrainian drones shot down in a single day.

To the south of the capital area, Tula area governor Dmitry Milyaev reported a drone assault on the Azot chemical plant in Novomoskovsk and a fireplace there brought on by falling particles. Two individuals had been injured, Milyaev wrote on Telegram. "The scenario is below management," he mentioned.

Andriy Kovalenko, the top of the Counter-Disinformation Heart working as a part of Ukraine's Nationwide Safety and Protection Council, mentioned in a Telegram publish of the Azot facility. "It's right here that explosives are produced, particularly TNT, which is utilized in artillery shells, plane bombs and missiles."

Russian forces continued their very own long-range strikes into Ukraine in a single day, with Ukraine's air drive reporting 49 drones and three missiles fired into the nation. The air drive mentioned on Telegram that it shot down or in any other case neutralized 40 drones.

An artist paints a panorama of the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on June 5, 2025.

Pavel Bednyakov/AP

Current weeks have seen each side intensify their long-range strike operations, whilst U.S.-brokered peace talks proceed in a bid to finish Russia's 3-year-old invasion of its neighbor.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned on Saturday night that his nation must "urgently" strengthen its air protection capabilities in response to Russia's intensifying missile and drone assaults on cities nationwide.

The northeastern metropolis of Kharkiv -- which sits round 19 miles from the Russian border -- was amongst these attacked this weekend. At the least three individuals had been killed and 23 injured there on Saturday, in line with the top of the native navy administration. At the least 4 extra individuals had been killed by strikes elsewhere within the nation, officers mentioned.

"We're working to strengthen Ukraine's air protection," Zelenskyy mentioned, in line with a readout posted to his workplace's web site. "We urgently want constructive indicators from the US -- concrete indicators relating to air protection methods. We're nonetheless ready for a response to our request to buy methods that may assist -- concrete indicators, not phrases."

"I wish to thank the European international locations for the provides," he added. "We should additionally obtain ends in the joint manufacturing of air protection methods and missiles for them -- that is completely important for our entire Europe. Solely time separates us from that consequence, and what issues most is shortening that point."

Zelenskyy and his high officers have framed Russia's increasing assaults -- and rising Ukrainian civilian casualty figures -- as proof that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be real in his obvious willingness to barter a peace deal.

Russia's newest barrages adopted final weekend's covert Ukrainian operation wherein brokers used greater than 100 drones hid in massive vans to assault strategic bomber bases deep inside Russia. Moscow vowed revenge for the strikes, which Ukrainian officers celebrated as a historic success.

Zelenskyy mentioned on Saturday that Russia's latest strikes on Ukrainian cities can't be excused as "retaliation," and once more urged Western companions to do extra to drive Putin to ease maximalist peace calls for that equate to Ukrainian capitulation.

"No type of strain on Russia will be eased," he mentioned. "The Russians are making ready to proceed the conflict and are ignoring all peace proposals. They have to be held accountable for this."

Fireplace and smoke rise from the positioning of a Russian missile strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on June 7, 2025.

Anatolii Lysianskyi/AP

"We're conscious that the Russians at the moment are making an attempt to point out that they're allegedly resistant to any strain," Zelenskyy added. "However it is vitally vital for the world to know: simply as strain compelled Russia into the negotiation course of, strain can drive Russia to turn into real looking in negotiations."

"That is potential exactly due to the strain, and above all, sanctions on Russian oil and those that nonetheless commerce with Russia," he mentioned. "Russia should finish this conflict that it began. They have to be pushed into this final result."