Zelenskyy urges US, Europe to send Patriot Missiles:’Send them to Ukraine, not warehouses’; Russian strikes kill 9

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the United States and European allies to immediately send additional Patriot air defence interceptor missiles, saying they are needed to save lives rather than remain in storage. The appeal came after Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone attack on several Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, killing at least nine people and injuring around 40 others, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukraine could intercept only 1 ballistic missile In a post on X, Zelenskyy said Russia fired 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles, along with 185-190 drones during the overnight assault. He said Ukraine was able to intercept only one ballistic missile because its stockpile of Patriot interceptor missiles has been nearly exhausted. “America and Europe know what we need. Now only a political decision needs to be made. Anti-ballistic missiles should protect people, not lie in warehouses. Every day’s delay gives Russia another chance to take the lives of our people,” Zelenskyy said. Calls for fresh sanctions on Russia Zelenskyy also claimed that Russia is increasingly deploying jet-powered Shahed drones and adapting its military strategy as the war continues. He called on the US and European countries to impose fresh sanctions on individuals and companies linked to Russia’s missile, launcher and defence industries. The Ukrainian president also urged allies to target Russia’s oil refining and fuel sectors, arguing that restricting those industries would weaken Moscow’s ability to sustain the war. Russia says military facilities were targeted Russia’s Defence Ministry said the overnight strikes targeted Ukraine’s military-industrial facilities and logistics centres in Kyiv. Ukraine, however, said residential neighbourhoods and civilians were also hit during the attacks. Ukraine reviews defence needs with US ahead of talks Zelenskyy said he held discussions with Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and other senior officials to prepare for upcoming diplomatic talks with the United States. He expressed hope that Ukraine would receive concrete commitments from its allies on additional weapons and air defence systems in the coming days. What is the Patriot Air Defence System? The Patriot is a US-made advanced air defence system designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. The system consists of launchers, radar, a command centre and interceptor missiles. Its radar detects incoming threats, after which the command centre assesses the target and launches an interceptor missile to destroy it mid-air. Patriot batteries are considered one of Ukraine’s most critical air defence assets as Russia continues to intensify its missile and drone attacks.