Zelenskyy warns Ukraine's air defenses are overwhelmed after latest Russian attack kills 9
Ukrainian president says shortages of missile interceptors are encouraging Russian attacks, as Washington signals it may scale back military aid and Europe struggles to fill the gap
Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Ukraine’s air defences are being overwhelmed after a wave of Russian missile strikes killed at least nine people, including four children.
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The overnight attacks hit Kyiv and several other regions, injuring at least 30 people, as Moscow steps up its campaign against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is running critically short of the US-made interceptors for Patriots, the only thing that can shoot down certain ballistic weapons, and called on Western allies to act urgently.
During his recent trip to Washington, Zelenskyy and Trump initially discussed licensing Ukraine to build Patriot interceptors.
However, Donald Trump has since pulled back, saying sharing such technology is “a hard thing to give away”.
He voiced concerns that Ukraine could someday use the Patriot missile interceptors against the US, although he acknowledged that that isn't likely.
Ukrainian officials said Russia launched 27 ballistic missiles in the latest assault, but only one was intercepted — a sign of the growing strain on the country’s air defence systems.
In Kyiv, emergency services were sent to a residential building after falling debris caused a fire and left residents trapped. Several parts of the capital were damaged.
Among those killed was a 22-year-old police officer, Yehor Terekhin, who died while responding to an earlier strike when a second missile hit the same location.
Kyiv’s patrol police said he “gave the most precious thing he had — his own life”, adding: “He will forever be 22.”
Other regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv and Poltava, were also targeted, with damage reported to homes, infrastructure, a school and the Lithuanian embassy.
Zelenskyy’s appeal comes amid mounting signs that US support for Ukraine may be scaling back, after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed cuts to military aid in the 2026 defence budget and President Donald Trump expressed hesitation over allowing Kyiv to produce its own Patriot missiles.
Zelenskyy said the systems are needed “here and now”, warning that without them, Russia will continue to strike with impunity as Western capitals debate the future of their support.