Zelenskyy calls for air ceasefire following 'massive' Russian offensive
Zelenskyy has once more called for an air truce following a significant Russian assault.
TroibNews 
Russia executed a "massive" drone and missile assault on Ukrainian energy infrastructure on Friday, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reiterate calls for a mutual cessation of aerial attacks on critical facilities.
Zelenskyy's plea aligns with increasing rhetoric from Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow regarding a potential pause in the ongoing war, which has now entered its fourth year.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that to achieve genuine peace, both Russian and Ukrainian aerial and naval strikes must be halted.
"Ukraine is ready to go the way of peace, and it is Ukraine that wants peace from the very first second of this war. The task is to force Russia to stop the war," he articulated in a social media post.
According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched a barrage of at least 58 missiles and nearly 200 drones, inflicting damage on energy facilities across the nation, from Kharkiv in the east to Ternopil in the west.
Firefighters were depicted battling a blaze in areas strewn with debris in the Kharkiv region, as shown in images shared by emergency services.
In response to Zelenskyy's previous calls for a suspension of aerial hostilities, the Kremlin has outright rejected any notion of a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's allies internationally have expressed support for his proposal for a truce; on Friday, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had recently met with the Ukrainian president, also endorsed the idea.
In his remarks during an online meeting, Erdogan stated, "We support the idea of establishing a ceasefire as soon as possible and stopping attacks in the air and at sea as a confidence-building measure between the parties."
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed on Friday that it had conducted overnight group strikes targeting Ukrainian gas and energy infrastructure.
In an official statement, the ministry detailed that these strikes employed high-precision long-range air, sea, and land-based weapons, along with unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring that their objectives were met.
The ministry highlighted that Russian forces completed seven group strikes in the previous week using precise weapons and attack drones, resulting in damage to various military-related infrastructures, such as airfields, ammunition depots, production sites, storage facilities, and control points for attack drones.
Russia is "targeting facilities linked to Ukraine's military-industrial complex," commented Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In response to the aerial assault, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the deployment of French Mirage fighter jets—recently delivered to Ukraine—for the first time, successfully intercepting the attack.
These fighter jets, in conjunction with air defense units, managed to shoot down 34 missiles and 100 drones.
DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy provider, reported that its facilities in the Black Sea region of Odesa had been targeted for the fourth consecutive night.
The company also confirmed that gas facilities in the central Poltava region had "ceased operations" following strikes during the overnight attack.
Additionally, the state gas company Naftogaz reported damages to its production facilities, though specific details were not provided.
Authorities in at least five regions of Ukraine indicated that energy facilities were targeted by Russian strikes. This latest air assault occurred against the backdrop of EU leaders, unsettled by the potential U.S. disengagement, agreeing to enhance the European bloc's defenses.
City officials in Kharkiv reported that eight individuals were injured during a strike on Friday, including a woman who was rescued from the rubble alive.
Late Thursday, the Ukrainian emergency service noted that an attack on the Odesa region had inflicted damage on "critical infrastructure," although no injuries were reported.
In addition, missiles from Russia struck a "critical industrial facility" in the Ternopil region overnight, as confirmed by Governor Vyacheslav Negoda.
Concerning diplomatic developments, Washington announced that discussions with Kyiv aimed at securing a ceasefire with Moscow were back on course following a public disagreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy.
Senior officials from the U.S. and Ukraine are scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, as per a senior Kyiv official, while Zelenskyy is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff indicated he would discuss with Ukrainian negotiators an "initial ceasefire" with Russia and frameworks for a longer-term agreement.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
Zelenskyy's plea aligns with increasing rhetoric from Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow regarding a potential pause in the ongoing war, which has now entered its fourth year.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that to achieve genuine peace, both Russian and Ukrainian aerial and naval strikes must be halted.
"Ukraine is ready to go the way of peace, and it is Ukraine that wants peace from the very first second of this war. The task is to force Russia to stop the war," he articulated in a social media post.
According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia launched a barrage of at least 58 missiles and nearly 200 drones, inflicting damage on energy facilities across the nation, from Kharkiv in the east to Ternopil in the west.
Firefighters were depicted battling a blaze in areas strewn with debris in the Kharkiv region, as shown in images shared by emergency services.
In response to Zelenskyy's previous calls for a suspension of aerial hostilities, the Kremlin has outright rejected any notion of a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's allies internationally have expressed support for his proposal for a truce; on Friday, Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had recently met with the Ukrainian president, also endorsed the idea.
In his remarks during an online meeting, Erdogan stated, "We support the idea of establishing a ceasefire as soon as possible and stopping attacks in the air and at sea as a confidence-building measure between the parties."
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed on Friday that it had conducted overnight group strikes targeting Ukrainian gas and energy infrastructure.
In an official statement, the ministry detailed that these strikes employed high-precision long-range air, sea, and land-based weapons, along with unmanned aerial vehicles, ensuring that their objectives were met.
The ministry highlighted that Russian forces completed seven group strikes in the previous week using precise weapons and attack drones, resulting in damage to various military-related infrastructures, such as airfields, ammunition depots, production sites, storage facilities, and control points for attack drones.
Russia is "targeting facilities linked to Ukraine's military-industrial complex," commented Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In response to the aerial assault, the Ukrainian Air Force reported the deployment of French Mirage fighter jets—recently delivered to Ukraine—for the first time, successfully intercepting the attack.
These fighter jets, in conjunction with air defense units, managed to shoot down 34 missiles and 100 drones.
DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy provider, reported that its facilities in the Black Sea region of Odesa had been targeted for the fourth consecutive night.
The company also confirmed that gas facilities in the central Poltava region had "ceased operations" following strikes during the overnight attack.
Additionally, the state gas company Naftogaz reported damages to its production facilities, though specific details were not provided.
Authorities in at least five regions of Ukraine indicated that energy facilities were targeted by Russian strikes. This latest air assault occurred against the backdrop of EU leaders, unsettled by the potential U.S. disengagement, agreeing to enhance the European bloc's defenses.
City officials in Kharkiv reported that eight individuals were injured during a strike on Friday, including a woman who was rescued from the rubble alive.
Late Thursday, the Ukrainian emergency service noted that an attack on the Odesa region had inflicted damage on "critical infrastructure," although no injuries were reported.
In addition, missiles from Russia struck a "critical industrial facility" in the Ternopil region overnight, as confirmed by Governor Vyacheslav Negoda.
Concerning diplomatic developments, Washington announced that discussions with Kyiv aimed at securing a ceasefire with Moscow were back on course following a public disagreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy.
Senior officials from the U.S. and Ukraine are scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, as per a senior Kyiv official, while Zelenskyy is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff indicated he would discuss with Ukrainian negotiators an "initial ceasefire" with Russia and frameworks for a longer-term agreement.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
