Ukraine: Zelenskyy says Patriot missile shortage costs lives

At least nine people died and 23 were injured following a Russian missile strike on Ukraine's capital city Kyiv overnight, according to the State Emergency Service. The missiles hit several homes and a five-story residential building, while cars were also set ablaze. Four of the injured were children. Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported that the first and second floors of the damaged building partially collapsed.

Warehouses in the city also caught fire. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed Russia launched 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles, and 185 attack drones during the assault. He attributed the lack of interceptors as the reason only one ballistic missile was stopped, noting that every interceptor package saves lives and each night without them results in more casualties.

The attacks follow a surge in Russian bombing campaigns in recent weeks. Zelenskyy sought increased support from the US and UK during a recent meeting with their leaders. Ukrainian forces have retaliated by striking targets inside Russia and in the Black Sea region, sinking a sanctioned Russian container ship and targeting oil refineries in Russia.

Independent reports confirm Zelenskyy's announcement of these strikes. The Ukrainian President emphasized that his nation continues to implement its long-range sanctions plan. Russia's Defence Ministry later reported that Moscow's forces struck a fuel storage facility and oil refinery in Ukraine's port city of Odesa, and a vessel south of the port was also hit with supplies for the Ukrainian military.