Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging for more long-range weapons and air defenses following a deadly missile attack that killed seven people, including two children. The town of Vilniansk, near Zaporizhzhia, was targeted in the Russian attack, leaving at least 11 civilians dead and 37 others wounded in missile strikes across Ukraine on Saturday.

Zelensky expressed the ongoing suffering of Ukrainian cities from Russian strikes and emphasized the need for increased military capabilities to counter such attacks. Images from Vilniansk showed significant damage, with a large crater near a burning building and bodies laid out on the ground.

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin confirmed that two missiles struck Vilniansk, causing damage to infrastructure, a shop, and residential buildings. The Russian defense ministry has remained silent about the attack, instead posting footage on its Telegram channel of a missile strike near the settlement of Ukrainka, close to Vilniansk.

In addition to the attack in Vilniansk, four people were killed and seven wounded in artillery strikes on villages near the eastern Donetsk region. Western allies have supplied Ukraine with long-range weapons and air defense systems to support its defense against Russian aggression, but delays in receiving military aid have impacted Ukraine’s ability to respond effectively.

Despite the challenges, Zelensky continues to call for further support from allies, emphasizing the importance of timely decisions in providing additional weaponry. The pressure to accelerate support comes as delays in the supply of weapons could result in further loss of life in the ongoing conflict.