Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged countries to hit Russia with more sanctions in response to “a new wave of terror” after Monday’s attacks on Ukraine.
At least 19 people were killed and scores more injured when Russian missiles hit regions across the country. At that point defiant, he said the attacks will only “delay our recovery a little”.
Following more strikes on Tuesday, Zelensky called on the West to find new ways to apply political pressure to Russia and support Ukraine, the BBC reported.
Zelensky said: “For such a new wave of terror there must be a new wave of responsibility for Russia – new sanctions, new forms of political pressure and new forms of support for Ukraine.”
“The terrorist state must be deprived of even the thought that any wave of terror can bring it anything.”
The calls came after he met the G7 group of nations for emergency virtual talks on Tuesday.
The bloc – which consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and US – promised to continue providing “financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal” support to his country “for as long as it takes”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the attacks were retaliation for Saturday’s explosion on a key bridge linking Russia to Crimea.
Western countries have already placed widespread sanctions against Russian businesses as well as allies of Putin since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
This includes removing major Russian banks from the international financial messaging system Swift, and sanctioning more than 1,000 Russian individuals and businesses – including oligarchs.
While the US has banned all Russian oil and gas imports, the EU has been reluctant to do so because it relies on Russia for about 40% of its gas needs.
Monday’s sudden barrage of missile strikes was the heaviest bombardment Ukraine has seen since the early days of the war. Several strikes hit Kyiv city centre in a first. The capital city has not been targeted in months, the BBC added.
On Tuesday, Zelensky said 28 more missiles were fired, 20 of which were shot down. These included Iranian combat drones, he claimed which the BBC said has not been verified.
“If it wasn’t for today’s strikes, we would have already restored the energy supply, water supply and communications that the terrorists damaged yesterday,” the president said in his nightly address on Tuesday evening.
“Today, Russia will achieve only one additional thing: it will delay our recovery a little.”
He added that restoration works were taking place “quickly and efficiently” throughout the country, and that electricity and communication had been restored to most cities and villages targeted in Monday’s attacks.
“Where there was destruction, the infrastructure will be renewed everywhere. Where there were losses, there is already or will be construction,” he said.
On Tuesday, reports also emerged of a mass grave being found in recently liberated Lyman, in the eastern Donetsk region.
