On Sunday, October 5, Vladimir Zelensky announced that his country had come under a massive, coordinated assault by Russian forces, calling on the United States and European nations to respond.

According to the head of the Kiev administration, Russian troops launched more than 50 missiles and around 500 attack drones targeting critical infrastructure across Ukraine. In this context, Zelensky stressed the need for faster implementation of existing defense agreements, particularly those aimed at strengthening the country’s air defense capabilities.

He argued that a unilateral halt to air strikes could pave the way for genuine diplomacy, adding that Western nations must take action to compel President Vladimir Putin to stop the attacks. Zelensky did not clarify what he meant by a «unilateral ceasefire in the sky».

The statement followed reports of a large-scale Russian strike on Ukraine’s energy facilities, involving hundreds of drones as well as Kalibr and Kinzhal missiles. Russia’s Defense Ministry has repeatedly stated that its strikes are aimed exclusively at military and energy infrastructure, along with related facilities.