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    Ukraine’s Zelensky Urges Allies to Bolster Air Defenses After Massive Russian Strikes on Kyiv Infrastructure

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday called on allies to strengthen air defense systems in response to intensified Russian attacks that have left hundreds of thousands of Kyiv residents without electricity and heating amid harsh winter conditions.

      Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the nearly four-year war, but Kyiv says this winter has been the most severe yet, with hundreds of drones and missiles breaching air defenses and deepening civilian suffering during extreme cold spells.

      Speaking upon his arrival in Vilnius, Zelensky said Russia had launched more than 1,700 attack drones, over 1,380 guided aerial bombs, and 69 missiles of various types this week alone. “That is why we need air defense missiles every day,” he said, adding that Ukraine is continuing to work with the United States and Europe to secure stronger protection for its airspace.

      Kyiv has come under particularly heavy bombardment, forcing around 500,000 people to flee amid widespread power and heating outages. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that 1,676 residential buildings in the capital currently lack heating following an attack on January 24. He noted that sub-zero temperatures and repeated air raids have slowed repair efforts to restore electricity and heat.

      Zelensky is in Vilnius to attend commemorations marking the 1863 uprising in Poland and Lithuania against the Russian Empire. Polish President Karol Nawrocki drew parallels between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and earlier struggles for freedom in the region.

      In a post on X, Zelensky’s office said the message of the commemorations was that reflecting on shared history makes it easier to confront today’s challenges, particularly amid what it described as the return of imperial Russian ambitions.

      Poland and Lithuania are among Kyiv’s strongest supporters within the European Union and have recently supplied hundreds of power generators to help mitigate the impact of the war.

      Separately, efforts to reach a settlement to end the conflict continued this week, with the United States, Ukraine, and Russia holding direct talks in Abu Dhabi. The parties agreed to convene another round of discussions in the Emirati capital on February 1.