Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked his US counterpart Donald Trump to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine, following a devastating Russian attack that killed at least 14 people and injured dozens more.
According to the air force, Russia launched 73 missiles and 656 drones towards Ukraine overnight, including 8 hypersonic Tsirkon missiles. The main targets were Kiev, the central cities of Dnipro and Zaporizhzhya, as well as the eastern ones of Poltava and Kharkiv.
“A large-scale attack and a completely transparent statement from Russia,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “If Ukraine is not protected from ballistic and other missile attacks, these attacks will continue.”
He added that they expect an effective response from partners to today’s attacks.
“Europe needs its own anti-ballistic missiles in order to finally end this war. And we definitely need the United States’ help in supplying missiles like the Patriots. We rely on the support of our partners and an effective response to today’s attack.”
Zelensky has repeatedly warned that Kiev is running out of US-supplied Patriot interceptor missiles, which are the only air defense system capable of intercepting Russia’s ballistic missiles.
Last week he took the unprecedented step of writing to the White House and Congress asking for help. Zelenskyy described Patriot missiles as a “vital tool” in saving human lives. Ballistic missiles were “Moscow’s last great advantage on the battlefield,” he stressed.
