The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, will propose that new sanctions be imposed on companies supporting the Russian military industry on Thursday.
The EU foreign policy chief made the statement on social media in response to the heavy Russian air strikes on Kyiv on Wednesday night.
"Words of condemnation alone will not stop the attacks on Kyiv. Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that," wrote Kallas. "The more Moscow attacks civilians, the more sanctions there must be. We will continue to raise the costs until Russia realises it cannot win."
The attacks on the night from Wednesday to Thursday left at least 13 people dead and 86 injured.
According to The Kyiv Independent, damage was reported at at least 28 locations. The news site describes the attack as one of the heaviest since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022.
Illustration shows rescuers putting out the fire, after an overnight attack on Kyiv on February 15, 2023. Credit: Ukraine Media Centre / The State Emergency Service of Ukraine
This week, the EU began disbursing €6 billion, the first tranche of a €90 billion support loan to strengthen Ukraine’s defence. EU staff in Kyiv are safe, according to Kallas.
Kallas’s response also follows an appeal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Speaking on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU in Dublin, he condemned the fact that there are still companies operating in Europe "whose sole purpose is to work for Russia". Member States are currently negotiating a 21st package of sanctions against Moscow.
Following the attack, Ukraine also reiterated its call to its allies to supply air defence systems. "Do not delay decisions on air defence for Ukraine. That is our most important request to our partners following a night of horror in Kyiv," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
Several residential buildings in the capital were damaged or destroyed. Among others, a hotel in the city centre and a nine-storey building are reported to have been hit.
Other Ukrainian cities, including Kharkiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia, are also reported to have come under fire. There is no information available at present regarding possible damage.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warned on Wednesday afternoon during a press conference in Dublin that Russia was preparing a new "large-scale" attack.
