Ukraine says 60 of 70 Russian missiles struck down amid barrage of strikes

Ukraine championed its ability to largely stop the barrage of over 70 missiles fired at it on Monday, noting that it was able to take down more than 60 of the strikes.

“70 Russian missiles were launched, most of them were shot down,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his overnight address. 

He added, “Every downed Russian missile is concrete proof that terror can be defeated.”

Zelenskyy thanked his international partners for the defensive aid they have provided Kyiv with but noted that it still is not enough to stop Russia’s aerial campaigns.

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 “We still cannot ensure complete security to our sky – there were several hits,” he added, confirming that four people were killed in the Monday strikes. 

Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed that “more than 60 missiles of the occupiers were shot down” after Russia launched a coordinated attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. 

The launch not only came as Western allies, like the U.S., are working to secure Ukraine’s energy infrastructure to ensure its citizens have access to running water, power and heat as the winter months set in, but it also marked the anniversary of the Budapest Memorandum.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine in 1994 agreed to hand over all the nuclear warheads that were left in the former Soviet state to Moscow in exchange for security guarantees.

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The agreement, signed by the U.S., U.K., Ukraine and Russia on Dec., 5, 1994, was dubbed the Budapest Memorandum.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for a new international security agreement between Ukraine and its trusted international allies that would ensure protection and act as a deterrent against future Russian aggression. 

“Simply signing something with these terrorists will not bring peace,” he said in reference to the Kremlin Monday night.  “They will certainly break any agreements reached with them.” 

“Giving up any element of someone else’s security to Russia means new war,” he added. 

Zelenskyy’s office on Tuesday told reporters the President will hold a press conference once the security situation in Kyiv calms down.