KYIV, Ukraine (Chatnewstv.com) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in a deadly airstrike and warned that the lack of a strong international response was emboldening Moscow to continue the war.
A guided bomb hit the village of Yarova in the Donetsk region earlier in the day, killing at least 24 people who had gathered to collect their pensions, Zelenskyy said in a national address. Another 19 people were wounded.
“The Russians knew full well what they were targeting, and they clearly saw that they were hitting civilians,” Zelenskyy said. “Russians continue to kill – and it is terrifying that there is still no strong enough response to it from global actors.”
He said Russian President Vladimir Putin saw the absence of decisive international action as “permission to continue the war,” and called for stronger sanctions as well as urgent deliveries of air defense systems, including U.S.-made Patriots.
“The response must be strength,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia’s economy and the Russian state must feel pain every time they kill, every time they strike like this.”
Zelenskyy said Kyiv expected this week’s Ramstein meeting of Ukraine’s allies to deliver concrete results on air defense and funding for a weapons purchase program. He also urged G7 nations and other partners to step up sanctions targeting Russian industries that fuel the war effort.
“On such matters – on matters of human life – there is no division between West and East,” Zelenskyy said. “For everyone, this is clearly murder. And everyone who has ever said that the war must end should respond to this.”
The president said he had spoken with Norway’s prime minister and thanked European Commission President António Costa and others for offering condolences and support.
“Together, we must find a way to pressure Russia that could become the way toward ending this war,” Zelenskyy said. “There are no other ways.”
