We are working with partners to buy additional Patriots - Zelenskyy's address

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called russia's massive air strike on Saturday night "brazen" and "in many ways demonstrative" and said the country is working with partners, including the United States, to acquire additional Patriot air defense systems.

"Reconstruction work continues after the night strike. It was a massive strike, a lot of ballistics - at least 25 ballistic missiles, there were also air and cruise missiles, more than 450 drones of various types. It was a very brazen, demonstrative strike in many ways," he said in a statement posted on Telegram.

Zelenskyy noted that it is necessary to significantly increase pressure on the aggressor so that russia does not have any means of subsistence in the conditions of war.

"The pressure on Russia is not enough, and any weakening in the existing pressure formats only motivates Putin to prolong this war, to cause more damage to our country, our people, and others in the world. The weakness of the response to Russia's insolence gives Russia a motive to continue the war. We need so many sanctions, so much pressure, so much life support that Russia will not have any livelihoods left in the war," he said.

The President noted that the main target of this strike was cities, energy and people.

"The main target of this strike was our cities, our energy, our people. Unfortunately, there are victims. In Dnipro, a Russian drone hit a house, and as of now, it is known that three people were killed in the city. Unfortunately, there is also a dead person in Kharkiv. My sincere condolences to all the families and friends. All services are involved. I have been in touch with all responsible officials since the night before, and they must restore electricity, water and heat supply in the cities where there was damage as quickly as possible.

Government officials should be in the regions: in Kharkiv, the Poltava Region, our Dnipropetrovsk Region, our Kirovohrad Region, Donetsk Region, Kherson - in all those regions where we need to make prompt decisions and help our people. The regional authorities should receive all the necessary support from the center," he emphasized.

The Head of State noted the work of the Defense Forces and emphasized the need to strengthen air defense.

"Over the night, the Ukrainian Defense Forces neutralized more than 400 drones, which is a significant result of the units of unmanned systems, army aviation, mobile fire groups. Some of the missiles were also shot down, and it is very difficult to counter ballistic and aeroballistic missiles.

Only a few systems in the world can shoot down such missiles, shoot them down effectively, and to cover our entire territory, we need much more systems, much more missiles for these systems. We are working with our partners, with America, to buy additional Patriots, and we are counting on their support. I thank every leader, I thank every friend of ours in Europe, in America, in Asia, who helps us, who tries to help us. There will be solutions," Zelenskyy emphasized.