At least four people were killed and 16 others injured as Russian missile and drone strikes targeted Ukraine overnight into Saturday, officials said, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to appeal anew for Western air defense systems.
In Kyiv, two people died and nine were injured when a ballistic missile hit the capital early Saturday, Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s city military administration, told reporters. The State Emergency Service said a fire broke out in a non-residential building at one location, while debris from intercepted missiles fell in another, damaging nearby windows.
“Explosions in the capital. The city is under ballistic attack,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram amid the strikes.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, two people were killed and seven wounded, acting regional Governor Vladyslav Haivanenko said, noting that apartment buildings and private homes were damaged.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched nine missiles and 62 drones, of which four missiles and 50 drones were intercepted. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses shot down 121 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory overnight.
President Zelenskyy stressed that such attacks highlight the urgent need for Patriot missile defense systems. “It is precisely because of such attacks that we pay special attention to Patriot systems — to be able to protect our cities from this horror. It is critical that partners who possess relevant capability implement what we have discussed in recent days,” he wrote in English on X.
He added that the United States, Europe, and G7 countries can help prevent such attacks from threatening lives. Ukraine is seeking to purchase 25 Patriot systems from the U.S. to strengthen its urban air defenses.
Zelenskyy also urged the U.S. to expand sanctions on Russian oil to cover the entire sector and called for long-range missiles to retaliate against Russian strikes.
The Ukrainian president was in London for talks with over two dozen European leaders, hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, aimed at bolstering military aid for Ukraine and pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin. Discussions focused on protecting Ukraine’s power grid from near-daily attacks, enhancing air defenses, and supplying long-range missiles to strike deeper into Russian territory. Zelenskyy has requested U.S. Tomahawk missiles, a proposal reportedly under consideration by President Donald Trump.