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Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the massive Russian shelling of Ukraine

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

28 August 2025 14:51

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the latest massive terrorist shelling of Ukraine carried out by the Russian Federation on the night of 28 August 2025.

The Russian aggressor struck Ukraine using 629 airborne weapons, namely: 598 Shahed strike drones and various types of UAV simulators, two Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, nine Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles, and 20 Kh-101 cruise missiles.

The strikes destroyed residential buildings and killed at least 15 people, including four children, and wounded at least 38 people. The youngest child killed was not even three years old. She was born under Russian shelling in October 2022 and died from Russian shelling in August 2025.

The death and injury of children is the most serious crime, which requires the most severe punishment. The international community cannot remain a silent witness to the murder of children by Russian criminals. Every country, every leader, every international organization must respond decisively to this barbarism with a principled public position and concrete actions.

The latest massive terrorist shelling of Ukraine proves that the Russian Federation completely disregards the efforts of the international community to restore comprehensive, just and lasting peace. Putin's disregard for the peace process initiated by US President Donald Trump is particularly cynical. Putin refuses to hold a direct meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and demonstrates his unwillingness to take real steps towards a diplomatic settlement. The Russian Federation is once again showing the world that it remains the only obstacle to peace.

Russia is a terrorist state, and we call on all states and international organizations to clearly record this status.

We would like to emphasize that during the attack, Russia damaged the building of the European Union Delegation to Ukraine. This is a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law, in particular the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and an unacceptable attack on a diplomatic building. Such actions require strong condemnation and an appropriate response from the entire international community.

We urge all states of the world to condemn yet another act of Russian terror against Ukraine and the intentional killing of civilians, especially children, by Russian troops, and to take practical steps to stop these atrocities.

We expect a strong, concrete response from the entire international community, including countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region, which have repeatedly called for peace, restraint, and a ceasefire to make the Russian Federation stop the killings.

We also call on the participants of the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on 31 August - 1 September to express their clear position on this attack and to show that they respect the principles of international law, do not tolerate Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and the killing of Ukrainian children.

We urge our partners to immediately provide Ukraine with additional air defence capabilities to protect Ukrainian airspace, long-range strike capabilities to target Russian military facilities used by the aggressor to launch attacks against our state, and additional military aid packages.

We call for increased pressure on the Russian Federation. This includes the introduction of additional powerful sanctions, including the swift adoption of the European Union's 19th sanctions package, the complete disconnection of the Russian Federation from international financial systems, and sanctions against the oil tanker "shadow fleet"; the introduction of powerful tariffs that will strike a blow to the Russian military economy and make it impossible for Russia to continue financing the war; the strengthening of personal sanctions against the Russian military and political leadership, making it impossible to circumvent sanctions.

We must recognize that the Russian Federation is openly ignoring all peace efforts and only intensifying its terror. A complete and unconditional ceasefire remains the most effective step for successful diplomacy on the path to peace.

As long as Moscow continues to respond to the world's peace initiatives with such missile strikes, only the "peace through strength" approach can end the war. Such a policy involves supporting Ukraine and exerting diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on Russia. It is precisely this approach that can force Putin to stop the terror and sit down at the negotiating table to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.

We emphasize that effective, legally binding, and reliable security guarantees for Ukraine are necessary to prevent a recurrence of aggression.

We also stress the importance of punishing the aggressor, including the conviction of the senior political leadership of the Russian Federation by the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

Restoring respect for international law, in particular the UN Charter, an integral part of which is respect for Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, will send a signal to the world that aggression is not rewarded but punished.