Five Killed Including Israeli Teenager in Russian Drone Strikes on Kyiv
Casualties from Kyiv Drone Strikes
At least five people were killed in the strikes on Kyiv, including a 14-year-old Israeli citizen. [1] His mother was among the wounded. [1] A total of 20 people were injured across Kyiv, with seven initially reported from one strike. [4] A Ukrainian youth hockey player was among those hospitalized for surgery. [2] Israel's foreign ministry condemned the attacks in which the 14-year-old Israeli citizen was killed and 20 people including the boy's mother were injured. [4] The ministry expressed condolences to the teenager's family and to the families of others killed in the attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities while wishing the injured a speedy recovery. [4] Nazar Stepaniuk, a defenceman for Dnipro hockey club and Ukraine's U18 youth national team, was injured in the attacks on Kyiv and taken to hospital for surgery. [2] The ministry noted that a drone hit an apartment block in the Pecherskyi district where the 14-year-old boy was killed and at least seven residents were injured. [4]
Nature of the Russian Attacks
The attacks involved jet-powered drones that struck residential buildings in daylight, including a multi-storey apartment block in the Pecherskyi district and non-residential properties in other districts. [1] Russia used to target Kyiv mainly during hours of darkness but now often attacks in broad daylight, with jet-powered drones heard and even seen flying overhead. [1] Moscow has been increasingly firing at the capital with newly developed jet-powered drones, which have succeeded in bypassing some of the drone interception systems developed by Ukraine. [1] Alisa Boyko, who lived in the high-rise struck on Friday morning, said Russian forces were seeking to "torment" Kyiv residents "so that everyone is affected, one way or another." [1] The aircraft struck between the 10th and 11th floors during a barrage that followed air-raid warnings in the Ukrainian capital. [5] At least seven people were initially injured, including a nine-year-old boy, as rescue teams evacuated residents and worked through broken glass and debris. [5] Buildings were also damaged in Podilskyi and Solomianskyi, while another drone later struck a five-storey non-residential property in Shevchenkivskyi. [5]
Ukrainian youth hockey player Nazar Stepaniuk injured in Russian drone strike on Kyiv. — Source: ukrainskapravda
EU Releases Funding for Ukraine Arms
The EU will allocate €4.7 billion to reimburse states for arms already sent to Ukraine, €900 million for training Ukrainian forces, and €1 billion for joint procurement of equipment. [1] European Union countries have agreed to release €6.6 billion from a fund to reimburse member states for arms supplied to Ukraine, the bloc's top diplomat said Friday. [1] EU states have been waiting for years for reimbursement under the bloc's European Peace Facility fund, with the payments vetoed by the former pro-Russian government in Hungary. [1] Budapest changed tack after Peter Magyar replaced Viktor Orban as prime minister in April, and EU capitals have been discussing how to use the money since. [1] EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Friday that €4.7 billion would go to reimburse member states and some have already said they would use their shares to help Ukraine fight Russia. [1] Some €900 million will fund the EU-led training mission for Ukrainian forces and €1 billion will fund new joint procurement of equipment, Kallas said. [1] "Moscow's hybrid attacks try to intimidate Europe into scaling back its support for Ukraine. Europe is doing the opposite," she said on social media. [1]
Zelensky on US Patriot Production Approval
Zelensky stated that US President Trump has made a final decision to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles under licence. [1] Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed earlier in the day that US President Donald Trump had approved licences for Ukraine to build Patriot air defence systems. [1] Zelensky has repeatedly called on Ukraine's Western allies for better air defence systems to combat increasingly deadly barrages of drone and missile strikes, with hopes of producing the advanced Patriots under US licence. [1]
Russian Statement on Targets
Russia stated that it struck Ukrainian defence industry facilities and vessels. [3] Russia says it struck Ukrainian defence industry facilities, vessels. [3] Russia said it targeted Ukrainian defence and logistics facilities and denies deliberately attacking civilians, while Russian authorities reported casualties from Ukrainian long-range strikes. [5]
Broader Overnight Attacks
The latest assault came after ballistic missiles killed two people and injured eight in Kyiv the previous night. [5] President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said eight regions came under Russian attack. [5] Ukraine reported 282 attack drones as well as several types of missile launched overnight. [5] Odesa was also hit, leaving one person dead and another injured. [5]
What to watch next: Zelensky has repeatedly called on Ukraine's Western allies for better air defence systems to combat increasingly deadly barrages of drone and missile strikes, with hopes of producing the advanced Patriots under US licence.
