Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha made a sharp statement against the backdrop of a massive missile and drone attack carried out by Russian troops on the birthday of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. According to the head of Ukrainian diplomacy, Russian generals once again presented their leadership with a familiar and cynical gift in the form of civilian casualties and the destruction of the civilian infrastructure of a sovereign state.
Massive strike on Ukrainian cities
On the night of October 7, 2026, the Russian army launched a combined air raid, utilizing a significant arsenal of weapons. According to official data from the Ukrainian Air Force, the enemy used 130 attack drones, as well as 48 cruise and ballistic missiles. Air defense forces managed to effectively counter most targets, neutralizing 161 aerial targets, but avoiding hits in a number of regions was not possible. Residential neighborhoods and critical infrastructure facilities in Kyiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kremenchuk, and Pryluky were hit by enemy strikes. Tragic consequences were recorded in many parts of the country: two people died in Kyiv, casualties were also reported in Kremenchuk, and in Pryluky, a missile destroyed a multi-story residential building, taking the lives of four people and injuring two dozen local residents.
Frontline assessment and economic context
Commenting on military and political realities, Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized that the Russian military leadership is hiding the true state of affairs at the front from Putin. The Foreign Minister noted that the offensive potential of the occupation forces has noticeably decreased, the pace of advance of Russian troops has slowed significantly, and the Defense Forces of Ukraine in a number of sectors are liberating more territories than the enemy manages to capture. Parallel to this, growing economic difficulties and a rapid decline in geopolitical influence are being recorded inside the Russian Federation itself. Despite the heaviest trials and colossal tension, the Ukrainian people demonstrate unwavering resilience, understanding that this is a fundamental issue of the survival of the state and the nation.
International reaction and the inevitability of the tribunal
The Ukrainian side insists that the Kremlin's aggression must not go unpunished, demanding that international partners immediately increase sanctions pressure and expand military assistance. Andrii Sybiha called for additional restrictions against the Russian military-industrial complex, affecting enterprises producing ballistic missile systems and the "Rassvet" satellite system, as well as providing Ukraine with new air defense systems and energy resources ahead of the winter period. In addition, the minister reminded about the preparation of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, the launch of which is scheduled for next year. Summarizing his speech, the head of the foreign policy department stated that the main and well-deserved gift for the Kremlin dictator will be a detention cell in The Hague.
