Zelenskyy condemns Russian strikes on St. Nicholas Day, cites heavy toll

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again condemned Russia's relentless attacks, emphasising the devastating toll of its strikes on Ukrainian cities.

He also highlighted the events that unfolded on St. Nicholas Day, underscoring the need for "strength" in the face of Russian terror.

Sharing a post on X on Friday, Zelenskyy wrote, "Russia's words mean nothing, but their bombs and missiles speak volumes."

"On the evening of St. Nicholas Day, aerial bombs in Zaporizhzhia hit a service station directly, cars with people inside. As of now, four people are known to be wounded and are receiving medical assistance. Tragically, the list of fatalities includes nine names. In Kryvyi Rih, a missile strike targeted an ordinary city building, injuring 17 people and killing two. And these are just two Russian attacks on two Ukrainian cities in a single day," the post further reads.

The Ukrainian President further criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin and said that he doesn't seek "real peace."

"Thousands of such strikes Russia has carried out during this war make it absolutely clear: Putin does not seek real peace--he seeks the ability to treat any country this way, with bombs, missiles, and all other forms of violence. Only through strength can we resist this. And only through strength can real peace be established. I thank everyone who is supporting Ukraine's efforts. May the memory of all the victims of Russian terror be eternal, Zelenskyy said on X.

A day before, the Ukrainian President also thanked its partners for providing the country with the Peklo drone missile.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "The "Peklo" (Hell) drone-missile -- our Ukrainian weapon with proven combat effectiveness. Today, the first batch was delivered to our Defense Forces. The mission now is to scale up production and deployment."

"I am grateful to everyone involved in our defence production, whose contribution helps Ukraine fight," the post added.