Zelenskyy urges tougher international action against Russia over civilian deaths

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday urged the international community to impose greater pressure on Russia, accusing Moscow of escalating attacks on civilian areas and warning that it must not be allowed to continue its “missile and drone terror” without consequences.

Zelenskyy said international sanctions and diplomatic efforts to isolate Moscow had so far failed to stop the war and called for a stronger response to Russia’s continuing bombardment.

“Unfortunately, there has been too little response from the international community to these strikes, which are taking people's lives practically every day,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post.

“But a response is needed -- Moscow must not go into the winter believing that it can get away with missile and drone terror without consequences,” he said.

Russia launched a sustained wave of nighttime and daytime attacks on Kyiv towards the end of August, in what Ukrainian officials described as the heaviest prolonged bombardment of the capital since the invasion began more than four years ago. Missile and drone strikes have continued into September, with Kyiv saying the attacks are aimed at undermining civilian morale.

The United Nations said last month that 437 Ukrainian civilians were killed and more than 2,600 wounded in July, making it the deadliest month for civilians since March 2022 amid increasing Russian aerial attacks.

More than 16,800 civilians have been killed and over 51,000 wounded in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion, according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

Kyiv residents caught in overnight attack

Russia's overnight attacks into Wednesday killed at least two people and wounded seven across six Ukrainian regions, Ukrainian officials said. Russia used ballistic and cruise missiles along with drones.

In Kyiv's Darnytskyi district, a drone damaged the 11th floor of a 22-storey residential building and started a fire on the 12th floor, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Four people were wounded there.

Olha Smal, a 62-year-old resident of the 12th floor, said the blast wave threw her across her kitchen and that one of her bedrooms caught fire.

Her pregnant neighbour was also wounded.

“You live one day at a time. You don't know what will happen to you tomorrow, or even what will happen today,” Smal told The Associated Press.

Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had struck a drone factory warehouse in Kyiv.

It also said Russian forces hit logistical facilities and fuel reservoirs at the southern port city of Mykolaiv, as well as an electric substation.

The Russian military further claimed it had struck a vessel carrying military cargo bound for Odesa and logistical facilities at Ukraine's Starokozache border crossing with Moldova. Ukrainian authorities said two people were killed in the border strike.

Ukraine targets Russian Black Sea facilities

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was responding to Russia's attacks with daily long-range strikes against infrastructure deep inside Russian territory.

He said the latest Ukrainian attack targeted Novorossiysk, a major Black Sea port in Russia's Krasnodar region.

According to Zelenskyy, the strikes hit a naval base, a terminal used to load oil, military port facilities and warships carrying cruise missiles.

Ukraine's General Staff described the Novorossiysk naval base as a key hub for Russia's Black Sea Fleet, providing maintenance and logistical support for its vessels.

Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said four people, including a child, were killed and 29 wounded in the Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk.

Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defences had shot down 596 Ukrainian drones between late Tuesday and early Wednesday.

The latest escalation comes as Kyiv continues to press its international partners for stronger measures against Moscow, arguing that existing sanctions and diplomatic pressure have failed to deter Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities.