Russia plans prolonged attack by Shahed drones - Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy said this in a video message.

"Only two days have passed since the beginning of the year, and the number of Iranian drones shot down over Ukraine is already more than eighty. This number may increase in the near future. Because these weeks the nights can be quite restless.

We have information that Russia is planning a prolonged attack with Shaheds. Its bet may be on exhaustion. On exhaustion of our people, our air defense, our energy sector. 

But we must ensure - and we will do everything for this - that this goal of terrorists fails like all the others," Zelenskyy said.

The President stressed the successful work of the Ukrainian Armed Forces which destroys the Putin regime's propaganda about a "successful special operation".

"The Russian regime needs mobilizing emotions. Something that they want to demonstrate to their country in order to continue lying that everything is going "according to the plan". And our task is to give Ukraine every day successes, achievements, even small, yet victories over terrorists and terror. Each shot down drone, each shot down missile, each day with electricity for our people and minimal schedules of blackouts are exactly such victories. And every step forward of our servicemen at the front, every saved position is such successes that are of strategic importance now. We must increase the price of new mobilization and war in general for the terrorist state as much as possible. I am grateful to every warrior of ours who ensures this! I am grateful to everyone who stands near Bakhmut! I am grateful to everyone who despite everything holds positions in Soledar and other areas! Thank you for the Luhansk region, for the south! No matter how difficult it is now, we must endure it. For it to be easier at the end of this winter," Zelenskyy stated.

In addition, the President spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on financial support for Ukraine and a joint summit.

"Today I spoke with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. I am glad that the first international conversation in the new year was held with the head of the European Commission. We equally understand the challenges of this winter, this year for Ukraine and the whole of Europe. We have discussed financial support for our state - in January, we expect the first tranche of macro-financial aid, as was agreed upon last year. This is extremely important right now, when Russia is trying to gather new forces for aggression. We have also discussed the preparation of the Ukraine-EU Summit to be held in early February. I believe that at this summit, we will be able to outline the key new steps for this year for our common resilience, for our common victory," he added.

The President also announced a meeting with members of the NSDC, the government, the parliament and the Office on global trends for Ukraine.

"Today, I held a special preparatory meeting with members of the NSDC and representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Verkhovna Rada and the Office on global trends for Ukraine this year and in the future. I instructed to elaborate draft decisions of the NSDC for the internal transformation of our state to continue and for us to ensure security and leadership of Ukraine under any external conditions," the President concluded.