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Ukrainian officials condemned the attacks, viewing them as part of Russia’s deliberate escalation aimed at destabilizing the region and pressuring Western support. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the international community to expedite delivery of advanced air defense systems to make such Russian strikes less effective.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell criticized Moscow for "masking its failed summer offensive with terror attacks on civilians." Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin defended the bombardments as legitimate military operations, explicitly targeting Ukraine’s energy and military sectors.