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<\/p>\nRussia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine of the conflict to date on July 3, days after the Pentagon paused weapons deliveries to Ukraine.<\/p>\n
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Trump talks Ukraine defense with Zelenskyy, frustration with Putin<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump said he was “disappointed” in Russian President Vladimir Putin saying he showed no signs of wanting to stop the war.<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON \u2212 Russian drone attacks on Ukraine<\/a> have skyrocketed in recent weeks as the Pentagon continues to hold up<\/a> deliveries of key air defense supplies, including Patriot interceptors.<\/p>\n Russian drone strikes have increased by roughly 500%<\/a> in June and July, compared with earlier this year, according to the Institute for the Study of War.<\/p>\n “The Ukrainians are getting pounded at an unprecedented level of intensity,” said Fred Kagan, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. “They need air defense of all sorts urgently.”<\/p>\n Russia pummeled Ukraine overnight on July 3 with the largest drone and missile attack of the more-than-three-year conflict, with more than 530 drones and at least 10 missiles launched mostly at the capital, according to Ukraine’s air force. At least two people were killed and more than 90 injured across the country as attacks continued into July 7.<\/p>\n Over the past week, Russia launched around 1,270 drones and 39 missiles at Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a>.<\/p>\n The escalation comes as the Pentagon has paused some weapons deliveries to Ukraine, including key air defense weapons like Patriots. Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell called it a “capability review … to ensure U.S. military aid aligns with our defense priorities.”<\/p>\n Democrats decry weapons cutoff<\/p>\n Democratic lawmakers said Ukraine’s air defenses were their largest worry.<\/p>\n Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said air defense is the “biggest concern … without question” after the Pentagon’s pause on weapons deliveries.<\/p>\n Smith said concerns that military aid to Ukraine and Israel is depleting the United States’ own stockpiles were not a “legitimate excuse.”<\/p>\n “Stockpiles that I’ve seen are no lower than they’ve been during the last three and a half years,” since Russia first invaded Ukraine, he said.<\/p>\n “I’m torn between whether or not it’s just really unintelligent analysis of what ournational security needs truly are,” or an “excuse to let Putin have his way in Ukraine,” Smith added.<\/p>\n Sens. Jack Reed and Chris Coons, two top Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the aid pause the “latest and most dramatic blow to our support for Ukraine” in a July 3 joint statement.<\/p>\n “This assistance \u2013 including vital air defense interceptors and artillery munitions \u2013 was provided by Congress and designated to be delivered months ago,” they said, referring to military aid procured through contracts authorized by Congress<\/a> that does not draw directly from U.S. stockpiles.<\/p>\n Kagan said concentrated Russian drone strikes “facilitate” ballistic missiles that penetrate Ukraine’s defenses. A lack of Patriot interceptors “leaves Ukraine open to the Russians just shooting their ballistic missiles whenever they want.” Patriots are Ukraine’s only air defense system that can down ballistic missiles, he added.<\/p>\n In recent days, both Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump<\/a> have nodded to Ukraine’s need for air defense, but a deal has yet to come through.<\/p>\n “We had an extremely fruitful conversation with the President of the United States yesterday, during which we discussed air defense,” Zelenskyy said in a July 5 video statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n