Zelensky Exposes Russia’s Drone Attacks Using Tankers, Calls for Baltic Sea Closure

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, issued new intelligence findings regarding Russia’s actions, emphasizing that the Russian Federation uses tankers to launch and control drones that strike European countries. He stressed that the Baltic Sea and other waters should be closed to Russian tankers, primarily for the so-called “shadow fleet”.

“There is now intelligence information that the Russians are using tankers to launch and control drones that are launched against European countries. This is another piece of evidence that the Baltic Sea and other seas must be closed to Russian tankers, at least for the shadow fleet.”

Night strikes and their consequences

In the night of September 28, Russia carried out massive drone and missile strikes on several Ukrainian cities. In Kyiv, four people were killed, including a 12-year-old girl; dozens were injured, and in the capital, infrastructure and buildings were significantly damaged, including the Strazhesko Institute of Cardiology, where rescuers found the bodies of two victims.

“The Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia was ‘extremely brutal’. As a result, nearly 40 people were injured, everyone is receiving the necessary assistance.”

Zelensky also noted that international support is key to pressuring the Russian Federation, in particular reliable steps from the United States. He noted that he discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump temporary pressure mechanisms that could compel Russia to rethink its position and halt the war; the world has tools that are truly capable of contributing to peace, ending the war, and deterring aggression.

According to the latest data as of September 28, several Ukrainian regions have been affected by the actions of Russian forces: in Kyiv and other cities, casualties and injuries have been reported; infrastructure and energy facilities have been destroyed; more than two thousand people have been left without gas, about sixty households – without electricity, and the Zaporizhzhia region has also suffered strikes and casualties.

Pursuit of recovery and stability

Despite the scale of the strikes, Ukraine remains resilient, and the international community continues to unite efforts to provide support and strengthen sanctions pressure on the aggressor. Coordinating actions among partners, rapid restoration of infrastructure, and meeting the humanitarian needs of the population are crucial to minimize the consequences of the war and take steps toward peace.