Russia Attacked Ukraine With 500 Missiles and Drones in 5 Days: Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said Russia has attacked his country with at least 500 missiles and drones in the past five days.

The Ukrainian leader provided the estimate to U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a phone call, according to a press statement posted online by Zelensky's office.

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin's military launched what has been called the largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. The Associated Press, citing Ukrainian officials, said at least 30 civilians were killed in the strikes that took place across the country—including on the capital Kyiv—and at least 144 people were wounded.

Russia's missile and drone attacks have continued since Friday's large offensive, while Moscow has accused Ukraine of responding by shelling the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk and the Russian border region of Belgorod.

The Kyiv Independent noted the conversation between Zelensky and Sunak occurred after Russia had unleashed another large air attack across Ukraine during the early hours of Tuesday that officials said resulted in five people being killed and 130 injured.

Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email on Tuesday for comment.

The U.K. has been one of Ukraine's biggest supporters in the war, and Sunak has been outspoken in his criticism of Putin for launching the invasion.

Following Friday's attack, Sunak said in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the strikes proved "Putin will stop at nothing to achieve his aim of eradicating freedom and democracy."

"We will not let him win. We must continue to stand with Ukraine—for as long as it takes," he wrote.

The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defense (MoD) and other Western officials had warned that Russia was likely amassing a stockpile of missiles last year in order to conduct heavy strikes in the winter.

In September, the MoD said in an intelligence update that Russia was trying to "generate a significant stockpile" of air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs).

"There is a realistic possibility Russia will again focus these weapons against Ukrainian infrastructure targets over the winter," the British department said at the time.

According to Tuesday's statement from Ukraine's Presidential Office, Zelensky and Sunak discussed how to strengthen Ukraine's air defense against Russia's onslaught, as well as talked about Ukraine's urgent need for more weapons and ammunition from its Western allies.

"The President noted the U.K.'s substantial and comprehensive contribution to bolstering Ukraine's air defense system, particularly with radars, advanced anti-drone systems and missiles," Zelensky's office said.