Wie von Selenskyj befürchtet
Ukrainian rescue teams were once again on continuous duty. © Danylo Antoniuk/AP/dpa
Just before the NATO meeting, the Ukrainian President warns of severe attacks on his country. During the night, his fears are confirmed: Kiev is massively under fire.
On the eve of the NATO summit in Turkey, Russia launched the next wave of heavy attacks on Ukrainian cities. Shortly after midnight, air alerts were triggered in nearly all regional areas, with heavy explosions reported from Kiev. Authorities and media reported numerous impacts in the capital and its suburbs. Several buildings were reportedly damaged, at least seven people killed, and two dozen others injured. Thousands fled to subway stations to escape the attacks, according to the news portal “The Kyiv Independent”.
President
He referred to information from the Ukrainian intelligence service. “This is quite typical of Putin’s behavior – right after the American Independence Day (July 4) and before the NATO summit in Ankara,” Selenskyj said, “he wants to inflict even more misery and kill people.”
Massive Damage in Residential Buildings
According to reports, the attackers employed numerous drones in addition to dozens of cruise missiles and rockets during the night. Cruise missiles can be better maneuvered by attackers and are harder to detect by radar due to their low altitude, while ballistic missiles are difficult to intercept due to their high speed.
In Kiev, reports indicated that residential buildings were hit in several districts. A high-rise partially collapsed, leaving a massive hole in the center of the building, allowing rescue workers to look through. People were feared to be trapped under the rubble.
Selenskyj Calls for More Air Defense Support
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for over four years with Western support. The new wave of attacks sets the tone for the NATO meeting, which will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
In his video message, Selenskyj appealed to Ukraine’s partners to support his country’s defense efforts more decisively. “Any delay in delivering missiles for our air defense and Patriot systems costs lives and encourages Russia to continue the war,” he said. “The world has ample amounts and quality air defense systems, but these need to be made available to Ukraine. Ultimately, these are decisions for the USA and the powerful in Europe and the world.”
Ukraine is aware that the political will of the USA could easily resolve the shortage of Patriot systems, Selenskyj further explained. “But so far, we lack such support.”
Vulnerable Against Ballistic Missiles
While Ukraine’s air defense has a relatively high hit rate against Russian drones and cruise missiles, it is largely powerless against ballistic missiles. The Patriot systems are Ukraine’s only effective means against Russia’s missiles. Earlier in the spring, Selenskyj lamented that his country had very little ammunition left for them. The ongoing war in the US against Iran has further strained worldwide stocks of these defense missiles. Recently, Selenskyj brought up the possibility of producing Patriots domestically and suggested that European production in Ukraine could also be feasible.
Selenskyj Meets Trump at NATO Summit
At the summit in Ankara, Selenskyj will have the opportunity to directly ask US President
Neither side is making significant military progress, a high-ranking US official stated. Simultaneously, enormous costs are incurred, with attacks from both sides reaching deep into each other’s territory. “The president feels a real sense of urgency to try to bring this to an end,” the official said.
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There is confidence that progress can be made when Trump and Selenskyj come together, and he is sure that the US president will also reach out to Putin. Both the Kremlin chief and Selenskyj spoke with Trump over the weekend, sharing their perspectives on the course of the war.
The US has been mediating in the war between Russia and Ukraine for a long time. However, due to its ongoing military and political conflict with Iran, its efforts have taken a backseat lately. (dpa/edited by ng)
