Zelenskyy warns of impending Russian mass strike as hospitals and bridges come under fire

Intelligence warning and air defense review

On Tuesday, 6 October 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that updated intelligence reports show Russian forces preparing a coordinated mass aerial strike across Ukraine. Following a meeting with government officials, military commanders, and intelligence leadership, Zelenskyy reviewed the positioning of air defense systems and protective lines for designated key facilities. Ukrainian forces are securing ammunition for F-16 fighters, interception tools, and surface-to-air missiles, but authorities reported a severe shortage of systems capable of countering ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy stated that securing anti-ballistic defenses remains entirely reliant on foreign partners, with daily negotiations taking place to address the supply deficits.

We received updated information from intelligence today about Russian preparations for a massive attack. We are preparing steps to counter it.

Hospital strikes in Kramatorsk and Kryvyi Rih

Russian forces carried out attacks against medical facilities in eastern and central Ukraine over the preceding 24 hours. In Kramatorsk, situated in Donetsk Oblast, three hospital employees were injured while attempting to conceal ambulances following an initial bombardment. In Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a separate attack on a hospital injured four people, including two medical staff members, leaving one woman in serious condition. These strikes follow continuous drone and missile activity directed against Ukrainian regional population centers.

Infrastructure strikes and maritime incidents

Russian targeting in early October focused on transportation infrastructure around Kyiv and commercial transit routes in the Black Sea. On Friday, Russian strike drones struck the Southern Bridge in Kyiv, damaging a transit route that accommodates one of the city's three metro lines. Russian forces then struck Kyiv's Northern Bridge on Saturday, after which the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised foreign diplomats to leave the Ukrainian capital and stated that its municipal strikes would continue uninterrupted. In the Black Sea, drones attacked two civilian merchant ships within the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone, leading to the sinking of one vessel. Zelenskyy denied any Ukrainian military activity in that maritime sector, attributing the vessel's destruction to Russian efforts targeting civilian trade.

Diplomatic appeals for Western defense aid

In an evening video address, Zelenskyy advised civilians across Ukraine to take immediate shelter whenever missile sirens sound. He noted that while Ukrainian units and the Air Force are prepared to respond, defensive capacity is limited by the availability of specialized hardware. The Ukrainian leadership reiterated that expanding interceptor stockpiles requires direct political decisions from foreign allies, particularly across Europe and the United States. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk separately warned that the region faces demanding weeks and months in light of escalating Russian military operations. Ukrainian officials continue daily coordination with allied governments to accelerate the transfer of defensive equipment.