The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, commented on the latest escalation of air attacks by the Russian Federation in his evening address on September 2. He emphasized that the new wave of strikes coincided with statements made by the Russian president at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, describing the actions of the Russian military as an “accompaniment to Russian statements from China.”
This is reported by Kyiv24
Government Response and Preparation of Security Guarantees
The president stressed that Russia is ignoring all international efforts aimed at ending the war. He pointed out that the Russian side even denies statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the need for a meeting of leaders to end the war. Zelensky noted that Russia continues to build up significant forces in certain areas of the front and does not cease its attacks on Ukraine.
“Russia’s blatant disregard for everything the world is doing to stop the war. Yesterday, the Russians literally denied what President Trump said about the need for a meeting of leaders to end the war. These days in China, Putin continues to tell his tales, as if he is not to blame for the war. As if someone is always ‘forcing’ him to fight, kill, drive children into shelters, and send thousands of people to storm our positions.”
The head of state remarked that Russia does not seek peace; on the contrary, it is amassing troops and continuing aggressive actions. In response, Ukraine is preparing asymmetric steps to ensure that the Russian Federation feels the consequences of its aggression. Zelensky assured that the Ukrainian side will strengthen cooperation with international partners to increase pressure on Russia, as, according to him, “Russia hears nothing but strength and will lie until it suffers sufficiently strong losses.”
International Pressure and Qualification of War Crimes
The president called for the introduction of additional sanctions and increased tariffs to limit Russian trade and financing of the Russian military complex. He reported that he held a meeting with representatives of the President’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and military command regarding the preparation of security guarantees for Ukraine and coordination of actions with partners to support the Defense Forces.
According to Zelensky, the main task for this autumn is the synchronization of international sanctions against the Russian Federation. He added that the basic principles for further contacts with a coalition of states ready to provide Ukraine with real security guarantees have already been agreed upon.
On the morning of September 2, Russia launched a new massive strike on the territory of Ukraine, using 53 drones, and the night before, 150 drones. Despite the Russian leadership’s denial that the Russian army allegedly does not attack civilian objects, such actions are destroying hospitals, schools, kindergartens, as well as energy and water supply facilities.
The Ukrainian authorities and international organizations classify these strikes as war crimes of the Russian Federation and emphasize that they are targeted in nature.