By Redacción
Redaccion@latinocc.com
Russia launched one of its largest airstrikes on Ukraine in recent months just hours before the United Kingdom and Germany led a meeting to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for NATO allies to deliver weapons to Ukraine.
The attack killed two people and injured 15 others, including a 12-year-old child, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district, a drone struck the entrance to a subway station where civilians had taken shelter. Videos on social media showed the station platform filled with smoke and dozens of people inside. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said the station had to be ventilated in what he called “enhanced mode.”
The most intense strikes hit the Darnytskyi district, where a kindergarten, a supermarket, and several warehouses caught fire.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Kyiv on Monday and visited some of the affected areas.
The overnight barrage of drones and missiles underscored the urgency of Ukraine’s need for more Western military aid, particularly air defenses—just one week after Trump stated that deliveries would begin within days.
NATO and EU Defense Leaders Meet on Urgent Ukraine Aid
Monday’s virtual meeting of top military officials was led by UK Defense Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, also attended the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.
Moscow has escalated long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities, and analysts believe the bombings will likely intensify as Russian drone production increases.
Ukraine’s new Defense Minister, Denys Shmyhal, urged allies to accelerate the delivery of U.S.-made air defense systems under Trump’s proposed plan.
“I ask the United States to make these weapons available for purchase, and our European partners to provide all the necessary funding for their acquisition,” said Shmyhal, who recently served as prime minister, at the start of the meeting.
Trump’s plan, unveiled a week ago, involves European nations supplying U.S. weapons—including Patriot air defense missile systems—to Ukraine via NATO, either from existing stockpiles or through purchases and donations of new equipment.
In a shift of tone toward Russia, Trump last week gave Moscow a 50-day deadline to agree to a ceasefire or face tougher sanctions.
During Monday’s meeting, Healey was expected to urge Ukraine’s Western allies to launch a “50-day campaign” to provide Kyiv with the weapons it needs to battle Russia’s larger military and push Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, according to a UK government statement.
NATO’s Grynkewich told The Associated Press on Thursday that “preparations are underway” for the weapons transfers to Ukraine, while U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said he could not provide a specific timeframe.
Ukraine Seeks U.S. Patriot Missile Systems as Drone Warfare Escalates
Germany has said it offered to finance two new Patriot systems for Ukraine and raised the possibility of donating older systems to be replaced by the U.S.
However, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested the delivery may take time. “They need to be transported, installed—that’s not a matter of hours, but of days, maybe weeks,” he said.
Additional Patriots could be delivered with Switzerland’s help. The Swiss Ministry of Defense announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of Defense will “reprioritize” the delivery of five previously ordered systems to support Ukraine.
While awaiting the Patriots, a senior NATO official said the alliance is still coordinating delivery of other military aid, such as ammunition and artillery rounds, including support from the U.S. that was briefly paused. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.
Zelenskyy said Saturday that his administration has proposed a new round of peace talks this week. Russian state media reported Sunday that no date had been set yet, though Istanbul is likely to host. A Kremlin spokesperson said Sunday that Russia is open to peace with Ukraine, but achieving its goals remains a priority.
Ukraine Launches Drone Attacks on Moscow in Response
The Russian bombardment of Kyiv began shortly after midnight and continued until around 6 a.m. Residents reported the sounds of gunfire, buzzing drones, and multiple loud explosions throughout the night.
It was the first major attack on Kyiv since Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, visited the city last Monday. Russia had halted attacks on the capital during his visit.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the assault involved drones and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, successfully targeting Ukrainian airfield infrastructure and military-industrial complexes.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 426 Shahed drones and decoys overnight, along with 24 missiles of various types. Of those, 200 drones were intercepted, and 203 more were jammed or disappeared from radar.
Meanwhile, Ukraine deployed its domestically-produced long-range drones. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces downed 74 Ukrainian drones overnight, nearly a third of which were destroyed near Moscow. Twenty-three drones were intercepted in the Moscow region, including 15 directly over the city.
