Russian planes fire a salvo of glide bombs at a southern Ukraine city, killing 1 and wounding dozens

Russian planes launched eight powerful glide bombs in quick succession over the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, resulting in one fatality and 31 injuries, according to regional chief Ivan Fedorov. The attack, which took place over a span of 90 minutes, targeted residential areas and caused extensive damage to 22 apartment buildings in four districts.

The bombs, which were first used by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago, are Soviet-era weapons retrofitted with guidance systems and capable of carrying up to 3,000 kilograms of explosives, creating significant craters upon impact. Ukraine lacks effective countermeasures against these weapons. In response to the devastating attack, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urgently appealed to other nations to supply Ukraine with more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems, emphasizing that these interceptors are crucial for protecting civilians from ballistic missiles.

However, the availability of Patriot missiles remains limited due to the ongoing Iran war, leaving the world to rely on political decisions from partners to provide the necessary defense packages. U.S. President Donald Trump's recent remarks on the licensing matter for U.S.-made Patriots have created uncertainty regarding the delivery of these critical defense systems to Ukraine.