Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has canceled part of his planned visit to the Republic of South Africa due to large-scale Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities
After the tragic events, he made the decision to return home in order to coordinate further actions and not leave the country without the attention of the international community during this critical situation. Zelensky announced on social media that his visit was intended to strengthen international support for Ukraine; however, this became impossible due to the audacity of Russian aggressors. “I have canceled part of the program of the visit to South Africa and will return to Ukraine because today we face more important goals — ensuring the safety of our citizens and applying international pressure on Russia, which continues to kill Ukrainians for the 44th day, disregarding any agreements,” he emphasized in his address. The head of state noted that during this time, while Ukraine insisted on a complete ceasefire in line with a special proposal from the United States, Russian forces continued to carry out active attacks. “Since the start of the ceasefire, Russia has been offering a façade of peace, but every day it cynically strikes Ukrainian cities, destroying them and involving hundreds of people in tragedy,” Zelensky stated. Indeed, in the night, Ukrainian cities once again suffered significant destruction. According to him, the military forces destroyed about 70 missiles, most of which were ballistic, as well as nearly 150 attack drones, leading to extensive damage and civilian casualties. Recent reports indicate that as of 10 a.m., over 80 people across Ukraine have been wounded, most of them with minor or moderate injuries due to debris and structural damage. Given the complexity of the situation, Zelensky instructed Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to urgently appeal to Western partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense system. “We need to receive additional air defense systems to stop this lawless wave of attacks that destroys our cities and takes innocent lives,” he stated. Because of the ongoing crisis, the President plans to personally inform the international community about the state of affairs and emphasize the urgent need to intensify global diplomatic efforts to support Ukraine. Specifically, he said he would today inform South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chairs the G20, about the situation and the need for maximum diplomatic assistance. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of humanitarian aid, particularly in the return of prisoners and Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia. “We have no time to wait. It is necessary to stop these deliberate attacks that destroy our cities and kill our compatriots. Therefore, I am canceling part of the visit to South Africa and will immediately return to Ukraine to coordinate defense and diplomatic efforts firsthand,” Zelensky concluded. According to him, the international community must understand that it is crucial to act directly and decisively now to stop Russian aggression and restore peace and security to Ukraine. Therefore, political and diplomatic steps, in his view, will bring us closer to this goal, while silence or neglect could have catastrophic consequences for the country’s future and its citizens.