Zelensky urges 'pressure' on Russia after drone barrage

KIEV

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 21 urged "joint pressure" on Moscow after it launched a "massive" overnight aerial attack, firing 214 drones and several guided bombs at cities across Ukraine.

"It is joint pressure on Russia, along with tougher sanctions and stronger defense support for our country, that paves the way to ending this kind of terror and Russia's prolongation of the war," Zelensky said in a post on social media.

“We expect real pressure on Russia from the United States, Europe, and all our partners. This is what will enable diplomacy to work,” he added.

“I thank all our partners who understand this and continue to help Ukraine, every man and woman in our Defense Forces for their constant protection of our people, and everyone who defends and saves Ukrainians from terror.”

Russia attacked regions of Ukraine with over 200 strike drones and decoy drones, according to Zelensky.

“Guided aerial bombs were also used. Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Kiev, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernihiv regions came under fire,” he said, adding that three children were injured in strikes on the Odesa region and aerial bombs in Zaporizhzhia injured six, including a 4-year-old child.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, said on March 21 that President Vladimir Putin's order not to strike energy targets in Ukraine was still in force, despite Kiev accusing Moscow of breaking it several times.

A Russian energy facility near the border with Ukraine that used to pump gas to Europe was set ablaze overnight in an attack both Moscow and Kiev blamed on each other.

"Everyone can see how much we can trust the word of Zelensky and the word of other representatives of the Kiev regime," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The Supreme Commander-in-Chief's order is in force and the Russian armed forces are refraining from strikes on energy facilities," he added, referring to Putin.