A Russian missile strike hit a downtown district north of Kyiv on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 14 people and leaving another 61 injured, according to a report by the New York Times.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attributed the significant loss of life to the country's lack of adequate air defense systems.
“This would not have happened if Ukraine had received enough air defense equipment and if the world’s determination to counter Russian terror was also sufficient,” said Zelensky in a statement. “Terrorists can destroy lives only when they first manage to intimidate those who are able to stop terror and protect life.”
The New York Times also detailed explosions and fires at a critical Russian air base located in the Russian-occupied Crimea Peninsula. Ukrainian officials have refrained from commenting on the attack at this time.
These recent events come at a time when American foreign aid to Ukraine has been stalled, as many Congressional Republicans continue to voice opposition to providing the European country with additional military support and funding.
Ukraine claims that the lack of Western support has left Ukraine's air defense systems depleted, with insufficient ammunition to intercept Russian missiles. Consequently, Ukraine has resorted to targeting Russian weapons at their source, per the New York Times.
“I can tell you, frankly, without this support, we will have no chance of winning,” Zelensky said in an interview with PBS on Tuesday.
