President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on 8 October that Ukraine is preparing a response to a new wave of Russian attacks. Following a briefing by SBU Director Oleksandr Poklad and Deputy Head of the President’s Office Pavlo Palisa, he also reported on negotiations with partners regarding additional air defence systems and ammunition for the F-16s, as well as meeting the needs of the military on the front line.
Briefly about the main points
- Zelenskyy announced that a response to Russia’s escalation was being prepared.
- The President heard a report from the head of the SBU and a representative of the President’s Office.
- Kyiv is discussing new air defence systems with its partners.
- There is a separate discussion regarding ammunition for Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets.
- The authorities are continuing to assess the needs of the combat corps and brigades.
Three areas of focus following the meeting
Zelensky He described the response to the intensification of Russian attacks as the top priority. «We are preparing our responses to this wave of Russian escalation,» he said in a Telegram post.
The President did not disclose the nature of the forthcoming actions. Earlier, on 29 September, he announced that the objectives for long-range operations in October had been agreed following a meeting with the Ministry of Defence and military officials.
The second priority is to secure new defence packages, and the third is to supply the units fighting on the front line.
Talks on air defence and the F-16
Ukraine is using diplomatic channels to secure additional defences against Russian missiles and drones. Zelenskyy stated that this involves air defence systems and ammunition for F-16.
The Ukrainian side is maintaining contact with countries that possess the necessary weaponry and are able to supply it to the Defence Forces. On 6 October, the President also spoke about intelligence reports regarding Russia’s preparations for a new large-scale attack and the priority countermeasures.
The issue of defence aid and funding Ukrainian-made drones On the same day, Zelenskyy discussed the protection of energy infrastructure with the President of the European Council António Costa.
Requests from departments are still being processed
During the meeting, the participants also discussed the implementation of requests made by the commanders of combat corps and brigades, which had been raised during the President’s meetings with military personnel on the front line. According to Mr Zelenskyy, work on addressing the practical needs of the units is continuing in parallel with negotiations on foreign armaments.
The statement came following Russia’s missile strike on Pryluky on 7 October. According to the Ukrainian authorities, the strike on a five-storey residential block claimed the lives of 22 people, including five children; a further 54 people were injured. The following day, Zelenskyy visited the scene of the tragedy alongside the British Foreign Secretary Edom Milibend.
