Kyiv [Ukraine], September 28 : The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued with both sides reporting strikes, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian strikes in Kyiv killed people, injured dozens and damaged civilian infrastructure, while calling for stronger international pressure and sanctions against Moscow.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy on Sunday claimed that Russian jet-powered drones had struck two kindergartens, two schools, an ordinary residential building, an auto repair shop, several warehouses and communications facilities in Kyiv.
"Anywhere in the world, this choice of targets would be called by one word -- terrorism. Russia has no military objective whatsoever in doing this – it is purely an attempt to break people and inflict as much harm as possible on our society. Tragically, there are people killed… My condolences to their families and loved ones. Dozens of people were injured,” Zelenskyy said.
He said that overall, since the previous day, Russia had used 277 attack drones of various types, 155 of them jet-powered. A building used as the residence of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador was among the damaged sites, while a sports school in the Dnipro region and a regional children’s home in the Sumy region were also damaged.
He said, "Overall, since yesterday, the Russians have used 277 attack drones of various types, 155 of them jet-powered. Among the damaged sites is also a building used as the residence of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador. In the Dnipro region, a sports school is among the damaged facilities. In the Sumy region, the building of a regional children’s home was damaged. "
On Russia's claims about de-escalation, Zelenskyy said, “If Russia were truly preparing for any real steps toward de-escalation – as it claims, particularly to American negotiators -- this wave of ‘shahed’ terror would not be happening. And we need to take a sober view of the situation. Russia knows how to send the kind of encouraging diplomatic signals that the world simply wants to hear… It knows how to send such signals in order to delay tough steps by the world in response to the war.”
Zelenskyy also called for the implementation of US sanctions legislation and stronger pressure from international partners.
“In America, the important Lindsey Graham sanctions and tariffs law has already reached the implementation stage. It is a law that can change a lot for the better if fully implemented. This law needs to be implemented - and everyone in the world can see that there is EVERY REASON to apply it and A CLEAR PURPOSE for doing so. We are counting on effective decisions from the world and stronger pressure from our partners, so that Russia sees that manipulating diplomatic signals will not allow it to keep winning more and more time for war and terror. It is important that our other partners in the G7 and G20 also take a principled stance,” Zelenskyy said.
He said new sanctions packages were being prepared against Russian financial networks, supply chains for components and equipment used in weapons production, and companies and individuals primarily involved in producing Russian ballistic missiles.
“New sanctions packages are being prepared - specifically targeting financial networks, supply chains for components and equipment used in the production of Russian weapons, and specific companies and individuals primarily involved in the production of Russian ballistic missiles. The new sanctions must take effect as early as October to provide a stronger foundation for changing the situation and pushing Russia toward real diplomacy. Thank you to everyone who helps Ukraine! Thank you to everyone working 24/7 to provide greater protection for Ukrainians and our state!” Zelenskyy said.
Meanwhile, according to a Russian news agency TASS report on Monday, Ukraine’s armed forces shelled residential areas in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) 11 times over the previous 24 hours, citing a statement from the department for documenting Ukraine’s war crimes at the DPR head’s office and government.
“Over the past 24-hour period, 11 shelling attacks by Ukraine’s armed formations were registered,” the statement said, adding that there were no reports of casualties among civilians. According to the statement, two residential buildings and two civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged.
In a separate TASS report on Sunday, the Russian Defence Ministry said Russian air defence forces intercepted and destroyed 43 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the Black Sea during the day.
“Between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Moscow time (5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. GMT - TASS), on-duty air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 43 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the Kursk, Belgorod, Oryol, Bryansk, and Rostov Regions, the Republic of Crimea, as well as over the Black Sea,” the ministry said.
The Russian Defence Ministry also said on Sunday that Russian forces had struck an Omega Telecom data centre in Kyiv, a Novaya Pochta logistics centre in Odesa and a cargo ship carrying military equipment and dual-use goods to the port of Odesa.
“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to carry out strikes on communications and logistics centers, as well as vessels used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces. This afternoon, drone strikes hit an Omega Telecom data center in Kiev. The company is one of the largest providers of high-speed internet services to the Ukrainian armed forces, including the storage of large volumes of databases,” the ministry said.
“A Novaya Pochta logistics center in Odessa that was used to store military cargo was hit,” it added. “In addition, a cargo ship carrying military equipment and dual-use goods to the port of Odessa to support the Ukrainian armed forces was struck while at sea,” the ministry said.
The Russian Defence Ministry’s claims could not be independently verified.
Earlier, on September 26, following a recent bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump said he wanted Russia and Ukraine to “settle” the war.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said, “Reached agreements on many of the subjects. I want him to settle with Putin, and I want Putin to settle with him. Last month, 25,000 people died. Months before that, 32,000 people died, mostly soldiers… What a shame." 
As Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange strikes, Zelenskyy, in his UNGA address on September 23, urged India, along with 46 countries, to prevent their citizens from being drawn into the war through 'deception and tricks', alleging that Russia was using foreign nationals in the conflict.