Biden on large-scale missile attack on Ukraine: Russia will never succeed

US President Joe Biden has condemned the large-scale missile attack on Ukraine by Russia which took place on 26 August, in which it deployed hundreds of missiles and drones.

The US president said, referring to Ukrainian officials, that the Russian attack led to the deaths of civilians and targeted more than two dozen critical energy facilities.

"I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, Russia’s continued war against Ukraine and its efforts to plunge the Ukrainian people into darkness. Let me be clear: Russia will never succeed in Ukraine, and the spirit of the Ukrainian people will never be broken," Biden said.

Biden added that the United States will continue to lead a coalition of more than 50 countries supporting Ukraine, providing critical military equipment including air defence systems and interceptor missiles.

"As I announced at the NATO Summit in July, the United States and our allies have provided Ukraine with the equipment for five additional strategic air defence systems, and I have re-prioritized US air defence exports so they are sent to Ukraine first," he said.

Biden said the United States is also increasing the supply of energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and strengthen the resilience of the Ukrainian power grid.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia fired 236 aerial weapons on Ukraine on 26 August, while Ukraine's air defence destroyed 102 missiles and 99 attack drones.

EU diplomat Josep Borrell once again called for the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western weapons to strike Russian military targets after the large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine on 26 August.