By KYIV. Dec 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The December 31 missile attack on Ukraine is another proof that support for Ukraine needs to be increased, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message on Saturday.
"All our services work where there were hits. We provide assistance to those who have suffered. Kyiv, Khmelnytsky, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv at the present time… Unfortunately, there are dead…," he said.
According to him, most of the missiles were shot down by our air defense forces. And those are lives saved. If not for air defense, the level of losses would have been different, much bigger, he said.
"And this is yet another proof for the world that support for Ukraine needs to be increased. I thank all partners who helped with air defense. IRIS-T, Crotale, NASAMS, Hawk, Piorun, Mistral, etc. Patriot systems will be delivered next year. This year, S-300 systems that we received have done a lot. Each of these systems is countering terror," Zelensky said.
He also recalled that "every day – today is no exception – we release our people."
"140 people were returned from Russian captivity today, including 22 officers, 118 privates and sergeants. In total, since February 24, we have returned home 1,596 Ukrainian men and Ukrainian women," the president noted.
