Russia Launches Large-Scale Airstrikes on Ukraine for Second Straight Day as Patriot Missiles Run Short

[Financial News]  

Russia has continued large-scale airstrikes on Ukraine for a second day as the country runs short of Patriot interceptor missiles, CNN reported on the 1st local time.
The strikes resumed just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would reconsider Ukraine's licensed production of Patriot missiles.
With its Patriot missiles depleted and gaps opening in its air defense network, Ukraine has been left vulnerable to Russian missile attacks. Of the 27 ballistic missiles launched by Russia, only one was shot down.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attack on the capital and surrounding areas killed at least nine people, including four children, and injured 30 others.
As the battlefield has stalled, Russia has stepped up large-scale airstrikes on Kyiv, Ukraine's capital.
In a post on social media platform Telegram, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for support, saying, "We are short of Patriot missiles," and warning that Russia is carrying out deadly airstrikes because of it.
Trump's remarks are also seen as one of the factors encouraging Russia.
At a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump distanced himself, saying he had never agreed to Ukraine's licensed production. At last month's NATO summit in Türkiye, he had signaled support for allowing Ukraine to produce the missiles under license, but at a Cabinet meeting on the 31st he drew a firm line, saying, "It is difficult to hand over that kind of technology."
With the United States reversing its position on licensed production, Russian airstrikes are expected to intensify further against Ukraine, which is already struggling with a shortage of air defense missiles.

[email protected] Song Kyung-jae Reporter