Zelenskyy says Ukraine bracing for “big attacks” by Russia in next 24 hours

Washington — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CBS News Friday that Ukraine is bracing for “big attacks” by Russia as soon as Friday or Saturday night.

In an exclusive interview with “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Zelenskyy said Ukraine has received intelligence indicating that the assault from Russia will involve drones, as well as cruise and ballistic missiles.

“Our people have to be very, very careful, cautious, and children — and they have to use bomb shelters,” he said, “because today at night or tomorrow at night, high percent — of course, nobody knows 100% — but there is a high percent.”

Zelenskyy also thanked the U.S. and European partners for sharing intelligence on Russia’s plans, but he indicated that Ukraine is in need of defensive weapons to intercept incoming Russian missiles. In a letter to Congress and President Trump dated Tuesday, the Ukrainian president pressed the U.S. for more Patriot missile systems, citing what he described as an “especially cruel massive attack” carried out by Russia on Sunday that left two dead and 83 wounded.

As part of that bombardment, Russia launched 600 drones and dozens of cruise and ballistic missiles, among them an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile, which has nuclear capabilities. It was the most significant aerial assault on the capital city of Kyiv since the war began in 2022.

“We used all our weapons, what we have, what we produce, and of course we used anti-ballistic missiles,” Zelenskyy said of Ukraine’s response to the assault on the 25th. “It’s the biggest deficit for us.”

Russia launched another round of attacks outside of Kyiv, including on infrastructure located along the shared Romanian-Ukrainian border. One of its drones entered the airspace of NATO-member Romania, and struck an apartment building in the country, according to the Romanian defense ministry. 

A number of NATO countries have attributed the attack to Russia, though the U.S. has not done so. NATO spokesperson Martin O’Donnell told CBS News in a statement that the alliance concurs that the drone was Russian, and NATO jets were scrambled.

A senior NATO military official said it “detected and tracked the Russian drone, but it entered Romanian airspace only minutes before striking the apartment building in Galați.” 

In a news conference Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to blame Ukraine and said the origin of the drone can’t be determined until the wreckage is examined.

A Russian drone also hit a Turkish-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, wounding two crew members, Ukraine’s Navy said. 

Both Romania and Turkey are members of NATO. The 32-member alliance, which includes the U.S., denounced “reckless behavior” by Russia and pledged to “defend every inch of Allied territory.”

The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, posted on X Friday morning, “We stand with our NATO Ally Romania and condemn this reckless incursion on its territory. Our thoughts are with the injured in Galati.  We will defend every inch of NATO territory.” 

Zelenskyy said he believes the attacks are part of an effort by Putin to pressure Ukraine’s neighbors not to help his country.

“Russia uses this just to attack politically, by weapon, pressure on NATO countries to look at the reaction,” he said. “I think the reaction has to be more strong from the unity of NATO countries, and I think that Putin is comparing how this reaction and how it’s changed during this one year or two years, three years.”

Zelenskyy said the attacks could also be a way for Putin to test NATO countries’ air defenses.

“He’s testing what air defense they have,” he said. “Can they destroy all the missiles or drones? This is what I think.”

See more of Zelenskyy’s interview on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET on CBS stations and streaming on Paramount+. The full conversation will be posted on YouTube and CBSnews.com.