At least six people were killed and dozens injured after Russia launched a new wave of missile and drone strikes across Ukraine on Saturday, according to Ukrainian officials. Kiev renewed its call for an urgent delivery of air defense systems, saying a growing shortage of interceptor missiles made it increasingly vulnerable to Russian strikes.The strikes hit several cities, including Sumy, Odessa, Kharkiv and Kiev, while Ukraine claimed to have intercepted most incoming drones and cruise missiles but said it was still unable to stop ballistic missile attacks due to a dwindling Patriot missile stockpile.Ukrainian authorities said the deadliest attack occurred in the northern city of Sumy, where two Russian bombs struck a crowded area, killing four people and wounding 17 others.According to Reuters, one of the bombs hit a bus station. Pictures published by officials showed a yellow bus torn apart by the explosion.Earlier in the day, a missile attack on the southern coastal city of Odessa killed two people and injured another, while a Russian drone attack on a civilian institution in Kharkiv injured seven people.In Kiev, 11 people were injured after night attacks that used ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.
In response to the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said civilian areas were bombed before issuing air raid warnings.“Civilian infrastructure was bombed even before the air raid warning was issued,” Zelensky said, adding that “our defenders were able to shoot down most of the targets, but not the ballistic ones.”He urged Ukraine’s allies to quickly deliver air defense packages agreed at this week’s NATO summit.The Ukrainian air force said Russia launched six ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles and 121 drones overnight before subsequent attacks on Odessa, Kharkiv and Sumy.It added that air defense units intercepted at least 111 drones and two cruise missiles.Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that the country suffers from a severe shortage of munitions for its US-made Patriot air defense systems, making it increasingly vulnerable to ballistic missile strikes.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said this week that Ukraine will obtain a license to produce Patriot interceptor missiles domestically.After Saturday’s attacks, Zelensky said these plans must move “as quickly as possible.”As Russia intensified its air attacks, Ukraine said it continued to target Russian military logistics in occupied southern Ukraine.Meanwhile, Russian authorities said one person was killed in a Ukrainian drone airstrike that targeted four ships, including a methanol tanker, in the Taganrog Bay on the Sea of Azov. Officials, citing Reuters, also reported that fires broke out in two fuel depots and the Taganrog seaport after drone attacks on Friday.
