Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday called for an “air truce” following one of the largest Russian missile and drone assaults since the start of the war. The overnight attack targeted Ukraine’s energy and railway infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts across several regions.
According to Ukrainian authorities, Russia launched over 60 missiles and some 750 drones in a massive wave of strikes that hit critical infrastructure across the country. One of the main targets was Western Ukraine’s Lviv region, where the Sparrow Industrial Park — a major logistical hub for Western military supplies — was reportedly destroyed.
Zelensky said a “unilateral ceasefire in the air is possible” and could pave the way for renewed diplomacy. He called on Washington and European capitals to pressure Moscow to halt such attacks, saying, “America and Europe must act to force Putin to stop.”
Earlier this year, in March, both Ukraine and Russia had informally agreed to refrain from striking each other’s energy infrastructure. However, Kiev has since conducted multiple drone and missile attacks on Russian oil refineries and power plants, including a recent strike in the border city of Belgorod that triggered a major blackout.
Moscow, for its part, has accused Ukraine of attacking the Kursk and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that the Zaporizhzhia plant had been struck, though it has not attributed responsibility.
Despite widespread reports of destruction, Ukraine’s Air Force claimed early Sunday that it had intercepted 95% of the incoming missiles and drones — including hypersonic weapons that U.S. defense officials acknowledge cannot be reliably intercepted with current air defense systems.
Analysts in both Russia and Ukraine warn that Moscow’s rapidly expanding drone production could enable it to launch as many as 1,000 drones per night by the end of the year — a capability that could quickly overwhelm Ukraine’s Western-supplied air defense systems and further strain the country’s energy grid as winter approaches.