Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denounced the recent Russian drone attacks on Kyiv for what he calls “terrorism” and called for more international pressure on Moscow. The new strikes occurred when Russia and Ukraine are still sparring over how to de-escalate their conflict.
At least three people have been killed and more than 10 injured in the wider Kyiv region as a result of the Russian drone strikes, Ukrainian authorities said. There was damage in several areas and emergency services still dealing with fires and debris following the attacks.
Zelenskyy said Russia had launched 277 attack drones of different types against Ukraine since the previous day - 155 jet-powered drones. He said some civilian facilities in Kyiv were damaged, including two kindergartens, two schools, a residential building, an auto repair centre, warehouses and communications infrastructure. A building used as the residence of the Saudi Arabian ambassador was also damaged.
Zelenskyy argued that the reported choice of targets could not be justified as a conventional military operation. He said such targeting would be described as “terrorism” and accused Russia of seeking to cause widespread damage to Ukrainian society rather than achieving a military objective.
The Ukrainian president also referred to damage outside Kyiv. He told us that a sports school in the Dnipropetrovsk region and a regional children's home in the Sumy region were also affected by Russian attacks. Some of these claims are directly from Ukrainian officials and could not be independently verified in every case.
The attack also intensified the debate on Russia’s de-escalation position. Zelenskyy challenged Moscow’s claim that it was taking steps to reduce tension and said that the continuing use of large numbers of drones was inconsistent with such signals.
He also called on foreign partners to put pressure on Russia through more sanctions. Zelenskyy specifically encouraged implementation of the sanctions proposed by Senator Lindsey Graham to respond to US sanctions legislation and said Ukraine is in the process of preparing new measures to tighten Russia’s financial systems and supply chain of weapons manufacturers with new sanctions.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s proposed sanctions would target companies and individuals involved in the production of Russian ballistic missiles, as well as networks that supply components and equipment for Russia’s defence industry. He said the new Ukrainian measures could take effect as early as October.
Today alone, and in Kyiv alone, Russian jet-powered drones “vanquished” two kindergartens and two schools, an ordinary residential building, an auto repair shop, several warehouses, and communications facilities. Anywhere in the world, this choice of targets would be called by…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) September 27, 2026
The attacks are part of a broader increase of aerial warfare. Ukrainian officials have reported a sharp increase in Russia’s use of drones, including jet-powered ones. Recently Reuters reported that the surge of jet-powered Shahed-type drones has also put pressure on Ukraine’s air-defence systems around Kyiv.
Russia, meanwhile, has continued to report attacks by Ukrainian forces. Russian authorities claim that Ukrainian drones targeted several locations and that Russian air-defence units intercepted and destroyed dozens of Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, Crimea and the Black Sea.
And Moscow believes its troops have targeted Ukrainian logistics, port, transport and communications infrastructure. Russia’s Defence Ministry has portrayed those facilities as providing support for Ukrainian military operations. These Russian claims, along with many battlefield claims from both sides, cannot be independently confirmed.
The continued exchanges of attacks illustrate the difficulty of translating diplomatic talks into an immediate reduction in hostilities. Russia and Ukraine are still fighting and the leaders of those countries are now discussing how to diminish the intensity of the conflict.
Trump also called for Russia and Ukraine to come to an agreement, in recent weeks and his comments come after Washington has been involved in diplomatic talks over the war. Trump has called for both sides to end the fighting, while Kyiv has continued to seek even more international help to strengthen its air defence and sanctions against Moscow.
The latest strikes also come after Zelenskyy made an address on the United Nations General Assembly to urge more international involvement. He has repeatedly insisted that sustained military pressure and diplomatic efforts should be working in concert with each other.
For Kyiv residents, however, the main concern is safety when drone attacks continue to have a direct impact on residential areas and civilian infrastructure. The latest strikes have resulted in deaths as well as injuries and damage in the capital region, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The situation remains fluid as Russia and Ukraine continue to attack each other despite diplomatic efforts. Zelenskyy’s call for stronger sanctions is part of Kyiv’s broader strategy to put pressure on Moscow, as well as the economic and political pressure on Russia to do so and still Russia continues its military operations in the midst of the ongoing conflict.
The recent developments underscore the gulf between diplomatic calls for de-escalation and the reality of ongoing fighting. Between both sides, how international pressure and ongoing talks will lead to a meaningful reduction in the war will be the question as long as there is no end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
