Russia's Air Force managed to shoot down a total of 46 military drones during the attack
Through his Telegram account, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky expressed his outrage at what he considered a lack of reaction from the international community, noting that this silence only reinforces Putin's stance.
"Every such terrorist attack perpetrated by Russia is reason enough to impose new sanctions against Russia. Russia is prolonging this war and continues killing daily," he declared.
The helicopter carrying the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, was hit by a Ukrainian drone attack while flying over the Kursk region, according to reports from both Russian and Ukrainian media on Sunday.
Yuri Dashkin, head of Russian air defense in that area, indicated that during the president's flight, Russian troops managed to repel an offensive with unmanned aerial vehicles launched by Ukraine.
"The intensity of the attack increased significantly during the flight of the plane carrying the supreme commander over the territory of the Kursk region," Dashkin stated, according to the Russian state media Vesti.
"Simultaneously, we conducted an air defense battle and ensured air safety during the president's helicopter flight. The president's helicopter was essentially at the epicenter of repelling a massive enemy drone attack," he added.
According to Moscow's official media, the Russian Air Force managed to shoot down a total of 46 military drones during the attack.
During Saturday night, Russia carried out an unprecedented attack on multiple areas of Ukraine, including the capital, Kiev. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the operation involved approximately 298 drones and 69 missiles.
Zelensky added: "The world may go on vacation, but the war continues, despite weekends and weekdays. This can't be ignored. The silence of the United States, and others in the world, only encourages Putin."
Later, on Sunday night, Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, condemned the Russian attack and called it a violation of the Geneva Convention.
"The indiscriminate killing of women and children overnight in their homes is a clear violation of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols, designed to protect the innocent," Kellogg stated.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, Russia and Ukraine conducted an exchange of 1,000 prisoners, the largest since the start of the war, according to confirmations from both governments on Sunday.
