RT.com
07 Feb 2026, 00:10 GMT+10
A widespread failure to intercept Russian drones is at the root of the complaint
Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky has sharply criticized the "unsatisfactory" performance of his country's Air Force for failing to intercept Russian drones.
Russia unleashed a series of long-range strikes as a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian power facilities, civilian infrastructure and "indiscriminate attacks on civilians," according to Moscow.
"I consider the performance of the Air Force in some regions of Ukraine to be unsatisfactory," Zelensky said in a Facebook post after meeting with Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov and the Air Force chief, Lieutenant General Anatoly Krivonozhko, where he said urgent changes to the military tactics were discussed.
Zelensky also blamed local authorities for power outages across the country.
In January, Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko linked the Russian attacks to a major energy crisis in the Ukrainian capital, where thousands of apartment buildings remained without power and heating for weeks. Zelensky responded that the mayor had only himself to blame for the low level of preparedness for such emergencies.
Later the same month, Zelensky pinned the blame on Kiev's backers by claiming that Western-supplied Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems were unable to repel recent attacks due to the lack of ammunition caused by a failure of Western logistics and financing.
The Russian military halted their strikes for a week in late January upon Washington's request to "create favorable conditions for negotiations" after Russian, Ukrainian and American delegations met in Abu Dhabi. US President Donald Trump said earlier this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin "kept his word" on the pause, while Zelensky claimed Russia broke its promise.
The Ukrainian forces have continued their attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure. On Wednesday, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that Ukrainian strikes had severely damaged energy infrastructure in Russia's Belgorod Region, causing widespread power outages and disrupting heating.
Last month, Moscow also reported that Ukrainian attacks had resulted in 45 civilian deaths and left over 100 people injured in just the first 11 days of 2026.
Get a daily dose of St Petersburg Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to St Petersburg Star.
More InformationBEIJING, China: As geopolitical tensions harden and regulatory barriers multiply, some of the world's biggest consulting firms are...
WASHINGTON, D.C./New Delhi: President Donald Trump said Monday that he plans to lower tariffs on goods from India to 18 percent, from...
A widespread failure to intercept Russian drones is at the root of the complaint ...
The country's bullion holdings were valued at $402.7 billion as of early February ...
Judges have upheld a 2023 seizure of a 50,000 vehicle in Germany, confirming a blanket ban on imports from the sanctioned country ...
Moscow [Russia], February 6 (ANI): A senior Russian military officer, Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, was shot and hospitalised...
DHAKA, Bangladesh: Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her niece, Tulip Siddiq, a British lawmaker, were sentenced...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Bowing to the threat of a contempt of Congress vote against them, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary...
TOKYO, Japan: Japan's general election has taken an unexpected turn, with social media buzz, sold-out fashion accessories, and snack...
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Approximately 200 prominent Jewish business leaders and influential figures are gathering in Riyadh this week...
BEIJING/NEW DELHI: Beijing has expressed its dissatisfaction with the Grammy Award to the Dalai Lama for the audiobook Meditations:...
OSLO, Norway: In a week of embarrassments to the royal family, the eldest son of Norway's crown princess was arrested over new allegations...
