Zelenskyy reports civilian casualties after Russian drone attack

In a recent address, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on the aftermath of a significant Russian drone attack overnight, detailing the involvement of over 50 drones, many of which were neutralized by Ukrainian defenses. However, the attack resulted in several successful hits, leading to civilian casualties, for which the president expressed his condolences.

The drones identified in the attack were “Shahed” models, now manufactured in Russia, specifically in Tatarstan. Originally, these drones were supplied by Iran, but have since been produced locally under Russian control. President Zelenskyy highlighted that these drones rely heavily on foreign components, estimating that each “Shahed” drone used in the attack contained approximately 85 foreign-made parts such as chips, switches and transceivers.

He emphasized the necessity to cut off all supplies of components to Russia to halt such acts, not just for the safety of Ukraine, but as a broader preventive measure against the spread of drone warfare. The president warned that without international action, similar attacks could extend beyond Ukraine’s borders, noting that other countries have already experienced drone-related incidents.

He called for a conscious global effort to deprive regimes like Russia of the capability to conduct such attacks and stressed that accountability should be enforced on all entities aiding Russia in circumventing sanctions and developing its weapons production.

Watch Ukraine President Zelenskyy addressing his nation today (enable captions for English subtitles)

Featured photo shows Russian drone Geranium (Shahed), found in Vinnytsia region of Ukraine in March 2024. Image Attribution: National Police of Ukraine (Source: https://vn.npu.gov.ua/news/nebezpechnyi-vrozhai-2024-politseiski-vybukhotekhniky-obstezhyly-mistsia-padinnia-4-vorozhykh-bezpilotnykiv). License: CC BY 4.0

This article has been updated to embed the video.