Zelenskyy vows harsh response to intense Russian bombing of Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed a strong response following a massive and prolonged Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv, which he said lasted nearly ten hours.

The Ukrainian leader shared a statement on his official Telegram channel, condemning the assault and urging the international community to act, Caliber.Az reports.

“Russia launched a massive, combined strike that lasted almost ten hours, with Kyiv as the main target,” Zelenskyy said.

He called on Ukraine’s allies to swiftly impose new sanctions against Russia and to invest in the production of weapons for Ukraine, particularly air defense systems and drone interceptors.

“Today, I will speak with partners, including members of the ‘coalition of the willing’, about additional funding for the production of interceptor drones and air defense deliveries for Ukraine. The objectives are absolutely clear. Such Russian attacks must be met with a tough response. And that is exactly what we will do,” Zelenskyy declared.

On the night of July 9–10, 2025, Russia launched a major missile and drone attack targeting Kyiv and surrounding regions. According to a Ukrainian media outlet, this latest strike killed two people, injured at least 13, and triggered widespread fires across five districts in civilian residential and non-residential areas. 

The attack, lasting nearly ten hours, involved 741 aerial targets, including 728 drones (over 300 Iranian-designed Shahed drones) and 13 missiles, such as Kinzhals and Iskanders. The assault followed a pattern of escalating Russian aerial bombardments, with prior record-setting attacks on July 3–4 (539 drones and 11 missiles) and June 5 (479 drones and 20 missiles), reflecting Russia’s strategy to overwhelm Ukraine’s strained air defences.

By Khagan Isayev