Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned what he called the world’s “silence and lack of strong action” in response to Russia’s latest massive missile and drone assault, which he said deliberately targeted civilian and energy infrastructure ahead of winter.

“[Putin] simply mocks the West, its silence and the lack of strong actions in response,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia has spurned every proposal to stop the war or to halt the strikes. Russia is openly trying to destroy our civilian infrastructure right now, ahead of winter – our gas infrastructure, our power generation and transmission.”

In his 5 October address, Zelenskyy said the strike involved 53 missiles and nearly 500 attack drones. Ukrainian defenses reportedly intercepted around 40 missiles and 450 drones, though some still hit their targets, causing deadly destruction.

The president confirmed at least five deaths, including a child in Lviv Oblast, and 18 wounded nationwide. Dozens of residential buildings, logistics hubs, and warehouses with civilian goods were damaged in the strikes, alongside rail infrastructure crucial to regional economies.

Zelenskyy highlighted that the attack exposed the continued foreign supply of critical components for Russian missiles and drones, listing items sourced from companies in the United States, China, Taiwan, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, and the Netherlands.

“A single Russian Kinzhal missile contains 96 foreign-made components. The nearly 500 drones the Russians used overnight contain over 100,000 foreign-made parts,” he said. “All of this must be stopped.”

He noted that G7 sanctions coordinators will meet next week, and urged them to act on Ukrainian proposals to curb Russia’s procurement networks. Kyiv, he added, is also preparing new sanctions against entities aiding Moscow’s war effort.

Emergency services, utility crews, and energy workers were continuing repairs across multiple regions throughout the day. 

Zelenskyy said he had held meetings with the Prime Minister, Naftogaz chief, and regional officials to coordinate recovery efforts.

Zelenskyy vowed that Ukraine would recover and push for a stronger global response. “We will fight so that the world does not remain silent and so that Russia feels the response,” he said.