Ukraine's Zelenskyy criticises partners over 'zero real reaction' to Russian strikes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday (October 5) criticised the international community for its muted response to a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes that killed at least five people and targeted civilian infrastructure across multiple regions.

Speaking in a televised address, Zelenskyy said the overnight assault was one of the most intense in recent weeks, describing it as a deliberate attack on Ukraine’s energy and logistics networks. “It was a massive strike,” he said. “The Russians aren’t even trying to conceal their true intentions. Most of the targets were civilian — energy facilities, warehouses, railways, and residential buildings.”

According to Zelenskyy, four people, including a child, were killed in the Lviv region, while one person died in Zaporizhzhia. Dozens of residential buildings and civilian enterprises were damaged, with emergency crews working through the morning to restore power and clear debris.

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that infrastructure in several regions — including Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kharkiv and Odesa — had been struck, as Russia intensified its campaign against energy and gas facilities ahead of the approaching winter.

The Energy Ministry confirmed damage to power infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv, while Naftogaz, Ukraine’s state oil and gas company, reported hits on gas production sites, though without providing details.

Zelenskyy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of acting with impunity due to what he described as the West’s lack of decisive action. “Sadly, there’s no strong, adequate response from the international community,” he said. “Putin is mocking the world’s silence and the absence of strong measures. Russia has rejected every proposal to stop the war or even halt the strikes.”

The attacks come as Ukraine braces for its fourth winter of conflict, with Moscow intensifying efforts to cripple the country’s energy grid and undermine public morale amid a stalled diplomatic process.

Kyiv has urged its allies to accelerate air defence support, warning that Russia’s renewed strikes on civilian targets signal an attempt to weaponise the winter once again.

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