Ukraine’s War Effort Strengthened by Air Defences, President Zelenskiy Says

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has praised the effectiveness of U.S. and German air defence systems in the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia, despite recent Russian air strikes. Zelenskiy reported that Ukraine had seen “significant results” from these systems, including the U.S.-built Patriot and Germany’s IRIS-T. However, waves of Russian attacks continue, with a recent hit on a blood transfusion centre being described as a “war crime” by Zelenskiy. In addition, two bridges linking Crimea to mainland Ukraine were struck, causing damage and casualties. Both sides have escalated attacks on each other’s forces and infrastructure as Ukraine attempts to dislodge Russian troops that have occupied parts of the country since last year’s invasion. Zelenskiy emphasized that Ukraine has successfully shot down a significant number of Russian attacks in recent weeks. Russia has denied deliberately targeting civilians or hospitals in the conflict, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and displacement of millions of people. The situation remains tense, with no prospect of direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia at present. Ukraine has been seeking support from developing nations beyond its core Western allies, with talks involving senior officials from 40 countries held in Saudi Arabia over the weekend. However, the meeting concluded without concrete action beyond a commitment to further consultations.