Russian forces fired missiles and drones at the Kyiv region and five other areas in Ukraine in a nighttime attack, officials said on Wednesday. This happened just before several important diplomatic meetings about the ongoing war, which has now entered its third year.
Ukraine’s Defense Efforts
Ukraine’s air force announced that it shot down 29 out of 30 air targets, including four cruise missiles, one Kinzhal ballistic missile, and 24 Shahed drones. Several people were injured, according to authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the air force’s response, saying that with the right tools, such success could become a “daily achievement.” He has been urging Ukraine’s Western partners to provide more air defense systems. The United States has agreed to send another Patriot missile system, two U.S. officials confirmed late Tuesday.
The best ways to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia will be a key topic in international meetings in the coming days. Kyiv’s forces are currently outgunned and outnumbered, struggling to hold back the larger Russian army. Ukraine has been facing shortages of troops, ammunition, and air defenses.
The Kremlin’s forces are attempting to damage Ukraine’s power supply and break through the front line in the eastern parts of the country.
Military analysts say Ukraine needs to withstand the Russian attacks through the summer. During this time, Ukraine aims to train more soldiers, build fortifications, and hope that Western military aid speeds up. By 2025, Kyiv hopes to be able to launch its own offensive.
G7 Summit and Defense Chiefs Meeting
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) rich democracies, including U.S. President Joe Biden, are set to gather Thursday in Italy for their annual summit. They will discuss ways to raise more money for Ukraine from Russian assets frozen in their countries.
Also on Thursday, defense chiefs from the U.S., Europe, and other nations will meet to discuss Ukraine’s security needs. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will host the event in Brussels.
Next weekend, representatives of nearly 90 countries and organizations, about half from Europe, will attend a Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit. Russia will not participate in this summit. Both sides in this major European conflict have been reaching out to friendly nations to keep their armed forces supplied. The war has caused tens of thousands of deaths on both sides, including over 11,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations.
While Ukraine has sought help from Western countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin has turned to nations such as Iran and North Korea for support. Unconfirmed reports suggest Putin may soon visit North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the third time.
Fighting along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line has recently centered on the partly occupied Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Russian forces are trying to capture the key hilltop city of Chasiv Yar and other strategic locations.
Last month, Russian forces also launched an offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, which borders Russia. Putin stated he wanted to create a buffer zone there to prevent Ukrainian cross-border attacks. However, Russia’s progress has been slow and costly.
In the Kharkiv region, Russian units have become stuck in Vovchansk, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on the Telegram messaging app.
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