Zelenskyy claims Moscow preparing ‘massive strike’ against Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Russia was preparing a “massive strike” against Ukraine, urging people to heed air raid warnings.

Zelenskyy said in an evening address that authorities received updated intelligence on preparations for the attack and that the air force and other services were ready to respond “as much as our defenses allow/”

“And a lot depends on our partners – every country in the world that has the defensive capabilities we need and can provide them to us,” he said. “It’s very important that there be the political will to do this – particularly in the United States and in Europe.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry urged foreigners to leave Kyiv last week and refrain from traveling to Ukraine. It said Moscow would continue “massive retaliatory strikes” against military targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

The ministry said the strikes were in response to “terrorist actions” by Ukrainian forces against the Russian civilian population and infrastructure.

On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Kyiv of expanding attacks on Russia’s “civilian economy," stressing that Russia was carrying out retaliatory strikes against Ukraine.

“What our armed forces are doing now is exacting retribution for that. Ukraine must, and certainly will, pay the price for these actions,” said Peskov.