Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky needs weapons ‘much more quickly’ as Kremlin missile attacks kill seven – UK Times

Ukraine’s military said it had hit an oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region overnight. Kyiv ​has stepped ⁠up ‌attacks on Russian oil ‌refineries and energy ‌infrastructure in recent ⁠months, seeking to reduce Moscow’s revenue from oil product exports that ‌the Kremlin uses to ‌continue ⁠its war ⁠against Ukraine.

Ukraine issued an urgent alert for more Patriot missiles and, misguided or not, Vladimir Putin is convinced he is on the brink of victory, writes Robert Fox.

US President Donald Trump’s pledge to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air-defense systems could mark a major breakthrough for Kyiv, but experts and Ukrainian officials warn that turning the idea into real weapons would likely take years.

Speaking Wednesday alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said the United States would allow Ukraine to make the U.S.-designed systems that Kyiv has long sought to shield its cities and infrastructure from Russian missiles and drones.

Russia has lost around 1,417,770 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said today.

The number includes 1,490 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

According to the Facebook post, Russia has also lost 12,116 tanks, 24,922 armoured combat vehicles, 118,610 vehicles and fuel tanks, 45,754 artillery systems, 1,924 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,485 air defence systems, 437 aircraft, 353 helicopters, 401,925 drones, 33 ships and boats, and two submarines.

Ukraine’s general staff has not revealed its own losses citing operational secrecy.

Eight people were killed and dozens more injured after Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Ukraine on Saturday, as President Volodymyr Zelensky called for diplomatic efforts to ensure Kyiv secured weapons more ⁠quickly.

Zelensky, speaking in his nightly video address, said Ukraine needed its allies to ensure weapons supplies were provided more promptly.

“I am preparing changes in Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts. We need a new level of cooperation ​with our partners ⁠to ensure that agreements on arms supplies are fulfilled,” Zelenskiy ‌said.

“Agreements reached by national leaders must be implemented much more quickly and completely.”

Ukraine is critically low on munitions for its Patriot air defence systems and has been largely unable to down ballistic missiles, which travel at several times the speed of sound, over the past month.

Despite four grinding years and Ukraine now successfully smashing Russia’s energy infrastructure, Vladimir Putin has no interest in trying to end the war for one key reason, Bill Browder tells Sam Kiley on the ‘World of Trouble’ podcast.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that China issued a direct warning to Russian president Vladimir Putin against the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, describing it as an “ultimatum-like form”.

Ukraine’s military confirmed it attacked a further dozen Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov, intensifying efforts to disrupt fuel supplies to Russian forces and isolate Moscow-occupied Crimea.

The Ukrainian defence ministry reported that in the first four days of the week, at least 36 Russian vessels, including 32 “shadow fleet” tankers and two dry cargo ships, were struck and set ablaze in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea, all of which were attempting to deliver fuel to Crimea.

These persistent long-range drone attacks by Kyiv have reportedly led to a significant fuel shortage across Russia.

This has led to widespread reports of escalating prices and extensive queues at petrol stations in numerous regions.