Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a stern warning that Kyiv is preparing long-range strikes deep inside Russia, just as the United States confirmed the resumption of military assistance to Ukraine after a temporary halt.
The declaration followed a high-level meeting late Sunday with Ukraine’s top defence leadership, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky, and Chief of General Staff Andrey Gnatov, held in response to sustained Russian bombardment on Kyiv throughout Saturday night and early Sunday.
“Our units will continue to destroy the occupiers and do everything possible to bring the war onto Russian territory,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. “We are preparing our new long-range strikes.”
The Ukrainian military, which has already launched drone and missile attacks on Russian airbases in Siberia, reportedly intensified its cross-border operations in recent weeks, targeting both military infrastructure and, on occasion, civilian sites. Moscow has blamed Ukraine for a deadly train derailment on 31 March that claimed seven lives.
Zelenskyy also hinted at renewed international engagement, pointing to an anticipated visit by US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg. “His country will work with partners on arms deliveries and scaling up joint production of essential defence assets,” he noted.
Also read: Trump slams Putin’s ‘hypocrisy,’ OKs Patriot missiles for Ukraine
US president Donald Trump, who had earlier signalled a pause in military shipments, confirmed last week that the Pentagon would resume deliveries to Kyiv. This shift marks a return to active logistical and defence support, even as Trump continues to press European allies to shoulder a greater share of the financial burden.
Germany, meanwhile, is set to dispatch its first batch of long-range missiles to Ukraine in the coming weeks. Major General Christian Freuding, responsible for coordinating Berlin’s military aid to Kyiv, said preparations for the missile delivery are “well underway”.
European nations have already issued billions of euros in financial and defence-related aid to Ukraine since the onset of the full-scale war in 2022. Much of that has gone towards strengthening Kyiv’s military-industrial complex and domestic weapons production capabilities.
The intensity of Russian strikes on Kyiv this weekend, including drone and missile attacks, has reinforced Ukraine’s call for more advanced air defence systems and offensive weapons. While civilian casualties have yet to be confirmed in the latest assault, footage circulating on Ukrainian media shows damaged residential buildings and smoke plumes in the capital’s outskirts.
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