KYIV, June 20 — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling on the world to step up pressure on Moscow after a deadly Russian missile attack on a residential building in Kyiv killed 28 people and left over 140 injured. The assault—one of the most devastating the capital has seen this year—has left families shattered and a city once again grappling with grief.
Zelenskyy, visibly moved, visited the wreckage in the Solomianskyi district Thursday morning alongside top officials Andrii Yermak and Ihor Klymenko. They laid flowers and bowed their heads to honor the 23 victims who died when a missile tore through the nine-story apartment building.
“This wasn’t just a missile strike—it was a message from Russia that it still chooses death over dialogue,” Zelenskyy said in a heartfelt message on Telegram. “The world must not look away. We need more pressure. Russia must be made to feel the true cost of this war.”
The Night Kyiv Will Not Forget
The attack occurred early Tuesday, as waves of drones and missiles rained down across Ukraine. In Kyiv alone, explosions rocked neighborhoods, woke terrified children, and sent families scrambling to bomb shelters. The head of the city’s military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, confirmed the scale: 28 lives lost, 142 wounded. It was the deadliest attack on the capital in 2024 so far.
Zelenskyy described it as one of the largest air assaults of the war, with Russia launching more than 440 drones and 32 missiles in a coordinated attack aimed at overwhelming Ukrainian defenses.
Despite Russia’s denials that it targets civilians, President Putin continues to frame the strikes as attacks on “military industries.” But Kyiv’s burning homes and grieving families tell a different story.
Talks, Ceasefires, and Broken Promises
While international focus shifts elsewhere—with tensions in the Middle East and new trade disputes emerging—Ukraine continues to call for a stronger global response. A proposed U.S.-led 30-day ceasefire remains stalled, with Putin attaching conditions such as halting Ukraine’s mobilization and freezing Western arms support.
Putin claims he’s open to negotiations and points to past prisoner exchanges as proof. But for many Ukrainians, words are not enough.
A Glimmer of Humanity: Prisoners Return
Amid the destruction, a small light of hope appeared Thursday. A group of Ukrainian prisoners of war were returned in the Chernihiv region, many suffering from long-term injuries and years of captivity—some since the 2022 siege of Mariupol.
“We’re getting our people back—one by one, step by step,” Zelenskyy said. “We won’t stop until every last Ukrainian is home.”
A War Still Raging
Even as Ukraine holds out hope for peace, the violence continues. On Wednesday night alone, Russia launched 104 drones—including Iranian-made Shaheds—across the country. Ukraine’s air force intercepted 88 of them, but the threat remains constant.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha voiced frustration over what he called Russia’s manipulation of peace efforts. “It has been 100 days since Ukraine accepted the U.S. peace plan without conditions,” he posted on X. “And in those 100 days, Russia has only escalated its terror.”
The world, Zelenskyy insists, cannot afford to turn away now.
“This war is not just about Ukraine. It’s about whether aggression and violence can be tolerated,” he said. “The cost of silence is measured in lives. We need action—now.”
