France has pledged to accelerate deliveries of new interceptor missiles to Ukraine as intensified Russian strikes drive civilian casualties to their highest level since the early months of the war.
France has pledged to accelerate deliveries of new air defence equipment and interceptor missiles to Ukraine as a surge in Russian strikes pushes civilian casualties to their highest level since the first months of Moscow’s invasion.
At least 13 people were killed in attacks overnight and on Saturday, including seven in Ukraine, four in Russia and two in Russian-annexed Crimea. The latest violence came as rescue teams continued searching through the wreckage of a partially destroyed shopping centre in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s home city of Kryvyi Rig, where a Russian drone strike killed 16 people a day earlier.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the decision to speed up missile deliveries, saying on X that Ukraine must be given the means required to defend its airspace against Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy said he had discussed Ukraine’s worsening air defence shortage with Macron and that the two leaders had agreed to accelerate deliveries of the latest French equipment and missiles. He also thanked the French president for confirming France’s readiness to provide licences for missile production.
Ukraine is particularly short of advanced missile interceptors, including US-made Patriot systems. Its existing air defence capabilities are unable to counter many of the ballistic missiles Russia has increasingly used against Ukrainian cities.
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The threat is especially acute in Kyiv, where Russia has launched repeated ballistic missile attacks in recent months. The weapons travel at extremely high speeds and can reach their targets within minutes, leaving residents with little time to reach underground shelters.
SAMP/T-NG system still awaited
Ukraine is also waiting for the delivery of the SAMP/T-NG air defence system, jointly developed by France and Italy. Experts believe the next-generation system should be capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. However, European diplomats had previously indicated that its delivery to Ukraine was not expected before spring next year.
The renewed focus on air defence comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled. The Coalition of the Willing, led by France and Britain, is due to meet on Monday to discuss ways of increasing pressure on Moscow to end its invasion.
The United States, which had brokered several rounds of direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow, has become increasingly focused on its war with Iran. Washington has also expressed frustration that the conflict has proved considerably harder to resolve than President Donald Trump had initially suggested.
Deadly strikes across Ukraine and Russia
The latest attacks have inflicted casualties on both sides. In Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, a Ukrainian drone strike on a residential building in the Yeysk district killed two children and wounded their parents, according to regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.
Russia also launched a ballistic missile towards Kyiv on Saturday while German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was in the Ukrainian capital for talks with his Ukrainian counterpart and Zelenskyy. Two people were killed and several others wounded in the Boryspil district on the eastern outskirts of Kyiv.
At least four more people were killed in a series of strikes in Ukraine’s frontline Zaporizhzhia region, according to Ukrainian officials.
In Kryvyi Rig, three people remained missing after Russian drones struck a crowded shopping centre on Friday afternoon. Sixteen people have been confirmed dead and more than 100 wounded.
The attack triggered a major fire and was followed by a second drone strike roughly 30 minutes later. Zelenskyy condemned the apparent double strike as “cynical and despicable”.
On Saturday, mourners gathered outside the damaged shopping centre, leaving flowers and handwritten letters at a makeshift memorial. Rescue and recovery teams continued clearing twisted metal and debris from the site.
The latest attacks come as the United Nations reports that Ukraine’s civilian death toll this year has reached its highest level since the opening months of the war, underscoring the growing pressure on Kyiv to strengthen its air defences.
With inputs from agencies