Russian forces attacked more than 50 settlements in Ukraine: Zelenskyy

By Davit Kachkachkiishvili

KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - Russian forces struck more than 50 settlements in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday.

Zelenskyy said in his daily video message that Russian soldiers continued to target various regions of his country, but Ukraine is fighting back and gradually moving forward.

“We respond everywhere. We have the necessary results -- another Russian aircraft was shot down,” he said, adding they have received new systems that will considerably strengthen Ukrainian air defenses.

"Of course, Ukrainian airspace is not completely secure, but we are making progress," he said.

Noting that “along the front, our forces are in a state of active defense,” he said “in some parts of the east and south, we are gradually pushing back the enemy.”

With the most intensive combat taking place in Donetsk, Zelenskyy said Russian forces suffered significant losses on the Donetsk front.

He addressed Russian soldiers fighting against Ukraine, urging them to save their lives by surrendering to the Ukrainian army.

Zelenskyy also said that five strategic Ukrainian enterprises were put under state control to meet wartime needs -- Motor Sich, KrAZ, Ukrnafta, Ukrtatnafta and Zaporizhtransformator.

He also noted that he delivered “an important international address” to the UN climate change conference COP27 in Egypt.

“When the world is focused on combating war, energy and food crises, the destruction of customary international relations, the climate agenda is clearly suffering. And the destruction of the climate cannot somehow be put on hold,” he said.

“Therefore, anyone who is serious about the climate agenda should also be serious about the need to immediately stop Russian aggression, restore our territorial integrity, and force Russia into genuine peace negotiations.”