PlainWire | ABC News · World
Open in new tab ↗

Ukraine war must become 'untenable' for Russia, Zelenskyy says after latest strikes

ABC News 11:03 AM UTC Sun February 08, 2026 World
Ukraine war must become 'untenable' for Russia, Zelenskyy says after latest strikes

Zelenskyy said on Sunday that the past week saw Russia launch more than 2,000 attack drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs and 116 missiles into Ukraine. "Almost every day, they strike energy facilities, logistics infrastructure, and residential buildings. And this is happening even as diplomatic efforts for peace are ongoing," Zelenskyy said in a post to social media.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 101 drones into the country on Saturday night into Sunday morning, of which 69 were shot down or suppressed. Thirty-two drones impacted across 13 locations, the air force said.

Russia has been waging a sustained offensive against Ukraine's power grid through the winter. Saturday night's attack came as Ukraine was still reeling from a massive drone and missile assault on Friday night, which again prompted significant power outages in most regions of the country. 

In this photo provided by Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, a damaged apartment building in seen in residential neighborhood following Russia's airstrike in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via APRussia launches more than 440 drones, missiles at Ukraine overnight, Zelenskyy saysUkraine's State Emergency Service said on Telegram that Saturday night's attacks saw strikes on an industrial facility in the central Ukrainian city of Poltava, a residential building in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, an industrial site in the southern Black Sea city of Odesa, and several residential buildings in the southern city of Kherson.

Zelenskyy said early on Sunday, "The world must not turn a blind eye to Russian attacks. When there is no global response, the strikes become more frequent and increasingly brutal. This can be stopped through real support for Ukraine and our defense."

"We need missiles for air defense systems and weapons for our warriors, who hold back this aggression every single day. And for diplomacy to work, constant pressure on Russia is essential," the Ukrainian president added.

"The price of this war for them must be so high that the war becomes untenable for the Russian Federation," Zelenskyy said, also announcing new Ukrainian sanctions on foreign companies accused of supplying "critical components" for the production of Russian drones and missiles. 

Later Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russia’s energy sector is “a legitimate target” for attacks by Ukraine, because Russia uses revenue from sales of oil to procure weapons used to attack Ukraine.

"We do not have to choose whether we strike a military target or energy," Zelenskyy said while addressing students at the National Aviation University in Kyiv. "He sells this energy. He sells oil. So is it energy, or is it a military target? Honestly, it’s the same thing. He sells oil, takes the money, invests it in weapons. And with those weapons, he kills Ukrainians."

Zelenskyy said that left Ukraine with two options: "We either build weapons and strike their weapons. Or we strike the source where their money is generated and multiplied. And that source is their energy sector. That is what is happening. All of this is a legitimate target for us."

Ukraine continued its own long-rage strike campaign against Russia on Saturday night into Sunday. Russia's Defense Ministry said on Sunday morning that its forces shot down 22 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone and missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, in this handout picture released on Feb. 7, 2026.State Emergency Service Of Ukrai/via ReutersUkraine, Russia conduct POW swap after trilateral talks with US endMeanwhile, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed on Sunday that a suspect was arrested in Dubai and transferred to Russian custody related to Friday's shooting of senior Russian military intelligence official Vladimir Alexeyev in Moscow.

The FSB and Russia's Investigative Committee (IC) identified the suspect as Lyubomir Korba, who they said is a Russian national born in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1960.

Svetlana Petrenko, an official representative of the IC, told reporters on Sunday that Korba "arrived in Moscow at the end of December last year on the instructions of the special services of Ukraine to commit a terrorist act."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Ukraine was responsible for the attempted assassination, an allegation that Ukrainian authorities have denied.

Alexeyev survived the assassination attempt and underwent successful surgery, according to Russian media.

ABC News' Tanya Stukalova, Natalia Kushnir and Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the world not to \"turn a blind eye\" to Russia's intensifying long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, after a week in which Zelenskyy said Moscow launched more than 3,300 munitions into the country.

Zelenskyy said on Sunday that the past week saw Russia launch more than 2,000 attack drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs and 116 missiles into Ukraine. \"Almost every day, they strike energy facilities, logistics infrastructure, and residential buildings. And this is happening even as diplomatic efforts for peace are ongoing,\" Zelenskyy said in a post to social media.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 101 drones into the country on Saturday night into Sunday morning, of which 69 were shot down or suppressed. Thirty-two drones impacted across 13 locations, the air force said.

Russia has been waging a sustained offensive against Ukraine's power grid through the winter. Saturday night's attack came as Ukraine was still reeling from a massive drone and missile assault on Friday night, which again prompted significant power outages in most regions of the country.

Ukraine's State Emergency Service said on Telegram that Saturday night's attacks saw strikes on an industrial facility in the central Ukrainian city of Poltava, a residential building in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, an industrial site in the southern Black Sea city of Odesa, and several residential buildings in the southern city of Kherson.

Zelenskyy said early on Sunday, \"The world must not turn a blind eye to Russian attacks. When there is no global response, the strikes become more frequent and increasingly brutal. This can be stopped through real support for Ukraine and our defense.\"

\"We need missiles for air defense systems and weapons for our warriors, who hold back this aggression every single day. And for diplomacy to work, constant pressure on Russia is essential,\" the Ukrainian president added.

\"The price of this war for them must be so high that the war becomes untenable for the Russian Federation,\" Zelenskyy said, also announcing new Ukrainian sanctions on foreign companies accused of supplying \"critical components\" for the production of Russian drones and missiles.

Later Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russia’s energy sector is “a legitimate target” for attacks by Ukraine, because Russia uses revenue from sales of oil to procure weapons used to attack Ukraine.

\"We do not have to choose whether we strike a military target or energy,\" Zelenskyy said while addressing students at the National Aviation University in Kyiv. \"He sells this energy. He sells oil. So is it energy, or is it a military target? Honestly, it’s the same thing. He sells oil, takes the money, invests it in weapons. And with those weapons, he kills Ukrainians.\"

Zelenskyy said that left Ukraine with two options: \"We either build weapons and strike their weapons. Or we strike the source where their money is generated and multiplied. And that source is their energy sector. That is what is happening. All of this is a legitimate target for us.\"

Ukraine continued its own long-rage strike campaign against Russia on Saturday night into Sunday. Russia's Defense Ministry said on Sunday morning that its forces shot down 22 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Meanwhile, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed on Sunday that a suspect was arrested in Dubai and transferred to Russian custody related to Friday's shooting of senior Russian military intelligence official Vladimir Alexeyev in Moscow.

The FSB and Russia's Investigative Committee (IC) identified the suspect as Lyubomir Korba, who they said is a Russian national born in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1960.

Svetlana Petrenko, an official representative of the IC, told reporters on Sunday that Korba \"arrived in Moscow at the end of December last year on the instructions of the special services of Ukraine to commit a terrorist act.\"

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Ukraine was responsible for the attempted assassination, an allegation that Ukrainian authorities have denied.

Alexeyev survived the assassination attempt and underwent successful surgery, according to Russian media.

ABC News' Tanya Stukalova, Natalia Kushnir and Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.

← Previous Back to headlines Next →

Comments

No comments yet.

Log in to leave a comment.