Zelensky comments on major Russian attack on Ukraine
Source: Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has described the Russian missile attack on Ukraine that came on Monday as as one of the ‘largest’ . In a statement posted on Telegram, Zelensky detailed the scale and impact of the assault.
“Today’s attack was one of the largest we have faced—a combined assault involving over a hundred missiles of various types and nearly a hundred Shahed drones,” Zelensky said. “As with many previous Russian strikes, this one was equally despicable, targeting critical civilian infrastructure. The attack affected numerous regions, from Kharkiv and Kyiv to Odesa and the western areas of Ukraine. Sadly, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families and loved ones. There are dozens of injured individuals receiving necessary medical assistance.”
The Ukrainian leader admitted extensive damage to the country’s energy infrastructure but assured that restoration efforts are underway. “Wherever there are power outages, recovery operations are already in progress. Repair teams are working around the clock. We will restore electricity,” he said.
The brtual attack made Zelensky call on Western countries to increase support in Ukraine’s fight against aggression. “Putin remains true to form: he is a deranged individual, as everyone understands. But it is equally clear that he can only do what the world allows him to do. Weakness and insufficient responses stoke terror. Every leader and partner knows what strong measures are needed to end this war justly. Ukraine should not face limitations in long-range capabilities while terrorists face no such constraints. Our defenders should not be restricted in their weaponry while Russia deploys all types of weaponry, including Shahed drones and ballistic missiles from North Korea. America, Britain, France, and other partners have the power to help us stop this terror. We need decisive action,” Zelensky concluded.
In 2025, the deadliest year yet for civilians, Ukraine’s three largest charitable foundations raised a record 105.9 billion hryvnias. It is more than the years 2022–2024 combined. According to the UN, humanitarian aid in Ukraine was delivered by more than 450 organisations, reaching five million people over the course of the year. Civic foundations hold licences to purchase lethal weapons, which is a function states have monopolised for centuries. These record sums were underwritten by international government grants, which means foreign states now channel billions directly through Ukrainian civic funds, bypassing inter-state channels. It is hard to imagine a stronger institutional trust in civil society.
During the GLOBSEC Defence Forum 2026 in Prague, representatives of “Steel Front”, an initiative by Rinat Akhmetov, discussed with NATO delegations, military officials, and representatives of the European defense industry the lessons learned from Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
After the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine witnessed an unprecedented wave of private support for the army. Citizens, big businesses, charitable foundations, and international philanthropists began financing the country’s defense alongside state assistance provided by international partners. Estimates of total private contributions range from tens to hundreds of billions of hryvnias. However, determining the exact amount remains difficult. In many cases, companies combine military aid, humanitarian programs, tax payments, social spending, and employee support in their reporting.
Rinat Akhmetov’s military initiative, “Steel Front”, has delivered a batch of drones worth UAH 214 million to the 1st “Azov” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. This shipment is part of the Metinvest Group’s ongoing support for the unit in 2025.
On October 6, the Administrative Cassation Court within the Supreme Court of Ukraine continued hearing case No. 990/80/25, in which the fifth President and leader of the party “European Solidarity”, Petro Poroshenko, seeks to have Presidential Decree No. 81/2025 from February 12, 2025 — enacting sanctions by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) — declared illegal and annulled. The plaintiff claims the document was falsified and that the sanctions are a tool of political persecution of the opposition, contrary to international norms. Government representatives deny the allegations and insist their actions were lawful. Journalists of Bukvy were present at the hearing.