Zelenskyy urges European air-defense umbrella after Russian strike wounds 13 in Zaporizhzhia

Russian forces bombarded the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, wounding 13 people, including two children, officials said Tuesday, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to call on European leaders to create a continent-wide air defense umbrella.

Zelenskyy said on Telegram that Russia has intensified attacks in recent weeks, launching what he described as more than 3,500 drones, more than 2,500 powerful glide bombs and almost 200 missiles at targets inside Ukraine over the past two weeks. "Now is the time to implement the joint protection of our European skies with a multilayered air defense system," he wrote. "All the technologies for this are available. We need investments and desire, we need strong actions and decisions from all our partners."

Regional head Ivan Fedorov said on national television that the barrage struck more than 20 apartment buildings and started multiple fires. He said municipal workers had been repairing damage from an Aug. 30 attack when the new strikes added further destruction. Local authorities reported 13 wounded, including two children; they did not immediately release the names or ages of the injured.

Ukrainian officials and defense analysts have described glide bombs—typically released from jets at high altitude and far behind the front line—as a major challenge because they create large craters despite limited accuracy. Swarms of Russian drones have also tested the reach of Ukrainian air defenses. Ukrainian officials said some Russian drones recently landed on Polish soil, prompting NATO to bolster its European defenses amid heightened tensions with Moscow.

The strikes on Zaporizhzhia come as Ukraine continues to strike targets inside Russia with its own long-range drones. Ukraine's General Staff said Tuesday that Ukrainian forces hit an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov region overnight, causing explosions and fire at the facility. Ukrainian strikes in recent months have targeted fuel depots and terminals, actions Ukrainian officials say are intended to damage infrastructure used to support Russia's war effort. Russia remains one of the world's largest oil exporters, and Western and Ukrainian officials have warned that a seasonal rise in demand combined with persistent strikes has contributed to gasoline shortages in some Russian regions.

The attack on Zaporizhzhia and Zelenskyy's appeal for a shared European shield come more than three-and-a-half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The war has produced a roughly 1,000-kilometer front line with regular strikes on populated areas. Diplomatic initiatives, including U.S.-led efforts and public proposals, have so far failed to produce a peace settlement. U.S. President Donald Trump issued ultimatums and deadlines for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin that have passed without clear consequences, according to public statements and reporting.

Zelenskyy urged European governments and partners to move from words to coordinated action, saying existing technologies could be integrated into a multilayered defense system. Kyiv's appeal underscores the continuing challenge of defending populous regions from a mix of missiles, glide bombs and drone attacks while the conflict and related cross-border incidents sustain pressure on NATO and European capitals.