Volodymr Zelenskyy has made a fresh plea for help from western nations – including the UK – after a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president said “the time for decisive action is now” as he urged his country’s allies to “help us stop this terror”.
Moscow launched around 200 missile and drone attacks on targets across Ukraine, including a reservoir, amid warnings that “millions” could die as a result.
In a video posted on X, Zelenskyy said: “Like most Russian strikes before, this one was equally insidious, targeting critical civilian infrastructure.”
Keir Starmer has insisted that the UK will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine, and British tanks were used earlier this month during Kyiv’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.
However, the government has so far rebuffed Ukrainian pleas to use British-made Storm Shadow missiles to launch attacks against Russian targets.
But Zelenskyy said it was now time to allow Ukraine to use western arms in any way they see fit to defeat Russian president Vladimir Putin.
He said: “Putin can only act within the limits the world sets for him. Weakness and inadequate responses fuel terror.
“Every leader, every one of our partners, knows the decisive actions required to end this war justly. Ukraine cannot be constrained in its long-range capabilities when the terrorists face no such limitations.
“Our defenders cannot be restricted in their weapons when Russia deploys its entire arsenal, including “Shaheds” and ballistic missiles from North Korea.
“America, Britain, France, and our other partners have the power to help us stop this terror. The time for decisive action is now.”
Among the Ukrainian infrastructure targeted by Russia was a dam north of Kyiv.
Yaroslav Trofimov of the Wall Street Journal said: “If the dam breaks, millions of people downstream can die.”
