Zelenskyy says Moscow drone strikes are justified response to Russia’s prolonging of war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said drone strikes carried out against Moscow and the surrounding region earlier the day were a “fully justified” response to Russia’s continued attacks on Ukrainian cities and communities.

“Our responses to Russia’s prolonging of the war and attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified. This time, Ukraine’s long-range capabilities reached the Moscow region and we are clearly telling the Russians that their country must end the war,” Zelenskyy said.

The President said Ukrainian drone and missile manufacturers continue to expand the country’s strike capabilities.

“I am grateful to the Security Service of Ukraine and all the Defence Forces of Ukraine for their precision. The distance from the Ukrainian state border is more than 500 kilometres. The concentration of Russian air defence systems in the Moscow region is the largest, yet we are capable of overcoming it,” he stated.

During the night of 17 May, unidentified drones launched a large-scale attack on Moscow and nearby regions. Explosions were also reported in occupied Crimea.

The drone strikes reportedly damaged several facilities in and around Moscow, including a technology park, a factory, an oil refinery and an airport.

Ukraine’s Defence Ministry later confirmed strikes on several targets in Moscow and the surrounding region, including an oil refinery, an oil storage facility and a microelectronics production site.