Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv and its surroundings in the night between Sunday and Monday, part of one of Moscow’s broadest air assaults in months. Russia fired 16 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and more than 200 drones across Ukraine.
The attacks damaged more than 10 energy sites and cut power to more than half a million households. One woman was killed in Kyiv, two people died in the industrial city of Kryvyi Rih, and six people, including three children, were killed in a Russian strike near the northeastern city of Kharkiv.
Ukraine received no advance warning of the first ballistic missile strike. Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said Kyiv did receive information before a second attack, and said the failure to give warning beforehand was under investigation with Ukraine’s partners. “For some reason, no information was received the first time, a matter our experts are investigating together with our partners, as this is not the first time such a situation has occurred”.
Against that backdrop, President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the US Defense Department on Monday of holding up Patriot interceptor missiles that European allies had already paid for.
Zelensky said the Pentagon was delaying the missiles and that the shipment awaited the signature of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “The missiles are ready, and they could already be in Ukraine. But unfortunately, there is still no approval.”
He said several European countries were prepared to send Patriot interceptor missiles from their own stockpiles, pending US approval. Zelensky also said some political agreements to provide air-defence supplies had yet to be carried out.
The Pentagon said there had been no change in the way it sends provisions to Kyiv.
Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, denied during a visit to Uzbekistan on Monday that Washington had paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine. He said the United States had not withdrawn intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
Zelensky also said Ukraine still could not fully access the Starlink/Starshield services provided by Elon Musk’s company. Equipment stopped working at speeds of 130kph-161kph, he said.
Trump rejected Zelensky’s account. “Zelensky doesn't know what he's talking about,” he said, adding: “To be honest, I think it's time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine”.
Speaking to reporters in Washington on Monday, Trump said: “We've given a lot to Ukraine. They've given nothing to us. Remember that.”
Trump partially lifted sanctions to strike a diesel-supply deal with Vladimir Putin. He also said he was ready to meet Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss denuclearisation, with the Ukraine war potentially among the subjects discussed.
Andriy Sybiga, Ukraine’s foreign minister, said such a meeting would “only encourage Putin to continue this war”.
Zelensky ordered his senior team to contact “partners who can swiftly strengthen our defence”.
Comments (0)