In early morning hours on Thursday, the Ukrainian military reported multiple attacks across the country using rockets and drones, resulting in seven deaths including two children. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Wednesday via X (formerly Twitter) of a high likelihood of a large-scale Russian attack during the night. Russia has intensified its attacks using ballistic missiles, which can be intercepted by American Patriot systems. Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian security depends on the willingness of allies to provide Ukraine with anti-missile defense. According to Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump agreed to provide permits related to projectiles for the Patriot systems after Zelenskyy's return from the United States. The U.S. military awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth $58.6 billion for the production of Patriot interceptors shortly before the Russian attack on Kyiv. This contract replaces a previous one-year agreement worth $4.7 billion with a seven-year framework agreement (from 2026 to 2032) for the procurement of interceptors. Defense industry executives welcomed plans to increase production but cautioned that Congress must first approve funding for companies to be
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about military actions, defense contracts, and international relations without overtly favoring any side. It includes quotes from both Ukrainian and U.S. officials, providing balanced coverage of the situation.
