Russia responds to invasion with 200 missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian territory.

On Monday, Russia launched a heavy attack against Ukraine, firing over 200 missiles and drones at civilian and energy targets, according to Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy stated in a post on X that over 100 different types of missiles and 100 Iranian-supplied Shahed drones were launched in a series of attacks, prompting him to again urge his Western allies to lift all restrictions on long-range defensive strikes.

Zelenskyy did not specify the source of the strikes, but he emphasized the need for Ukraine to improve its defense against Russia's persistent aerial attacks.

"Our partners must fulfill the commitments we made together, especially regarding air defense systems and missiles for them, he emphasized. "We must finally come together in our efforts to shoot down Russian missiles and drones," he said."

In addition to Ukraine's western regions, cities in the western-central regions, including Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil, were also hit.

According to Reuters images, two of Ukraine's most populous cities, Kyiv and Odesa, were hit.

According to the Kyiv Independent, Oleksandr Khorunzhy, spokesperson for the State Emergency Service, stated in a televised address that five people were killed and 30 others were injured.

If the aviation of our European neighbors worked in concert with our F-16s and air defense systems, we could do much more to protect lives across Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. "Such unity has proven effective in the Middle East, so it must work in Europe too.

"Life holds the same value everywhere," he added.

On Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that storage facilities for "aviation weapons" provided to Ukraine by its Western allies in the Kyiv and Dnepropetrovsk regions were also targeted, although Planet Chronicle Digital could not confirm these claims.

The Russian ministry announced on Telegram Monday that all designated targets were hit, resulting in power outages and disruptions in rail transportation of weapons and ammunition to the line of combat contact.

Ukraine's president has consistently urged allies to aid in enhancing its air defense capabilities by providing F-16s, Patriot batteries, and lifting limitations on long-range strike authorizations.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine requires additional F-16s and 25 Patriot battery systems to effectively safeguard its airspace.

The U.S., along with the Netherlands, Germany, and Romania, announced last month that they would send another four Patriot systems to Ukraine. Additionally, Italy would send a SAMP-T system, which also provides defense against cruise and ballistic missiles as well as combat aircraft, though the Patriot system has superior coverage at greater distances.

The number of Patriot or SAMP-T systems Ukraine currently possesses is uncertain, but Zelenskyy stated earlier this month that if allied nations lifted their long-range strike bans, Kyiv would not need to physically enter the Kursk region to safeguard its citizens in border communities and thwart Russia's potential for aggression.

Zelenskyy stated that his Kursk operation aims to create a "buffer zone" to stop Russia's attacks on Ukraine's northern regions.

Putin's actions are constrained by the world's limits, according to Zelenskyy, who stated on Monday that weakness and inadequate responses only fuel terror.

Our partners, including America, Britain, and France, possess the ability to aid us in halting this terror. It is imperative that we take immediate, resolute action.