Russian Bombardment Kills at Least Eight in Ukraine as Zelensky Renews Plea for Air Defense Supplies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched over 70 missiles and 280 drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine that killed at least eight people, including three children, and left dozens injured.Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and the western city of Lviv, near the Poland border, were most impacted, local officials reported. “Dozens of ordinary homes, civilian businesses, and infrastructure facilities were destroyed and damaged,” said Zelensky on Thursday, as he decried the “critical shortage of air defense missiles from our partners” and called for assistance from other countries.“All partners know how and with what they can help. Untimely assistance and delays in the delivery of anti-ballistic missiles lead to this kind of destruction, these kinds of casualties that, unfortunately, we are seeing today,” Zelensky added, doubling down on his previous statements on the perils of delayed defensive equipment. Zelensky shared a series of images and videos that showed buildings reduced to rubble and emergency services carrying out search and rescue operations."This Russian terror once again proves that protection against the Russian missile threat is the most important task when it comes to saving the lives of our people," Zelensky declared. The Russian Defense Ministry said its strikes targeted Ukrainian air bases, arms factories, and military telecommunications and logistics facilities.Following the attack, Ukraine’s air force said it shot down just one of nine ballistic missiles sent into its airspace.Zelensky has repeatedly appealed for more U.S.-made Patriot missile interceptors as they are capable of downing Russia’s ballistic missiles, but there’s a critical short supply.The pair met again for a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday, sharing what Zelensky described afterward as a “good” sit-down.They “discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help,” according to the Ukrainian leader, but no concrete details or next steps for manufacturing plans have been released.During his time in Washington, Zelensky watched from inside the chamber as the U.S. Senate advanced a bill that would impose tougher sanctions on Russia.Elsewhere, the European Commission stepped up its support for Ukraine, announcing Thursday it would disburse a further €3.47 billion (around $3.99 billion) for drones, missiles, air defense, and fighter jets under its €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan.Ukraine’s new Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi expressed gratitude, saying the “funds will strengthen our defense and help finance Ukraine’s most urgent needs.”Zelensky later held a meeting with Ukraine’s new military chief Mykhailo Drapatyi and other defense officials to discuss the country’s challenges facing Russia’s ballistic missile attacks and its “ability to counter this tactic, both at the military and diplomatic levels.”Russian missile "violated" airspace in Poland, says TuskPolish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said "during the Russian massive missile attack on western Ukraine, a violation of Polish airspace occurred."He convened a “coordination team” early Thursday morning to assess the site where the projectile fell.“I am in contact with the leaders of European countries regarding the violation of Polish airspace. Everyone declares full solidarity and readiness for any assistance,” Tusk added.The leader of Poland, a NATO member, later said in a press conference that “there is no reason to believe that Poland was the target,” but maintained a violation had taken place.“After my conversation with President Zelensky, it is quite clear to me that the next 100 days could decide the outcome of this war,” Tusk, who met with Zelensky on Wednesday, declared. “Right now, I would say the chances are fifty-fifty. Much depends on decisions made by the President of the United States.” NATO is “in close contact with the Polish authorities about the violation of Poland’s airspace,” NATO spokesperson for the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) Col. Martin O’Donnell told TIME in an emailed statement.“The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Alexus G. Grynkewich, spoke earlier today with Poland's Chief of Defence General Wiesław Kukułan about NATO and Poland’s response to the incident, which remains under investigation,” the statement continued. “SACEUR underlined that NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to defend NATO territory.”European leaders denounce Russian aggression against UkraineEuropean officials were quick to denounce the overnight bombardment against Ukraine and the reported violation of Polish airspace.“France condemns in the strongest possible terms the Russian strikes that killed civilians in Ukraine, as well as the violation of Polish airspace,” said French President Emmanuel Macron. “Our support for Ukraine and our allies will not waver. This is a matter of our collective security.”European Council president António Costa echoed those remarks, warning that the incident underscored a broader threat posed by Russia.“Last night, Russia launched a massive combined strike against Ukraine. During the attack, Polish airspace was also violated, underlining once again that Russia’s aggression is a threat to the security of Europe as a whole,” he said.European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen labeled the attack “another unacceptable violation of our E.U. airspace caused by Russia’s latest strikes on Ukraine.”“To put an end to this, we are helping Ukraine win this war in every way we can. And we are building a robust European security architecture on land, at sea and in the air,” she said.This is not the first time Russia has reportedly violated the airspace of a NATO member.In late May, a Russian strike hit an apartment building in eastern Romania—a crash E.U. leaders referred to as “a serious violation of Romania’s sovereignty and European airspace.”