Russian Strikes Kill Dozens in Ukraine as Europe Pledges More Air Defence
Attacks since Friday have left nearly 30 dead. French President Macron announced new interceptor missiles and Germany's foreign minister criticised the escalation during a visit to Kyiv.
Kyiv1 min read
Last updated
Russian strikes across Ukraine since Friday have killed nearly 30 people, according to local authorities. Fresh attacks early on Saturday left at least seven dead. One strike on Kryvyi Rih the previous day killed 16, including children.
French President Emmanuel Macron responded on Saturday by confirming that Paris would deliver additional interceptor missiles to Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking in Kyiv the same day, sharply criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for intensifying the war and pledged further German support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had discussed the creation of a European anti-ballistic missile system with former United States special envoy Keith Kellogg. The conversation took place against a backdrop of continued Russian pressure on the remaining fortress-belt cities in the Donetsk region.
The latest wave of attacks coincides with Ukrainian drone operations that have targeted industrial sites inside Russia, including a fire at a facility in the Tula region south of Moscow. Russian air defences claimed to have intercepted drones approaching the capital.
The pattern of reciprocal long-range strikes shows no immediate sign of abating. European capitals are responding with incremental deliveries of air-defence systems rather than a coordinated shift in strategy. The durability of Ukrainian resistance continues to depend on the sustained flow of these systems and on the ability of Ukrainian forces to disrupt Russian logistics and energy infrastructure.
Wadephul's visit and Macron's announcement keep the political commitment visible, yet the practical gap between declared support and the volume of interceptors required remains substantial.
