Russian air defenses have successfully intercepted multiple Ukrainian drones flying over Russian territory. This development comes amidst Ukrainian President's renewed plea for expedited deliveries of weapons and ammunition to bolster the Ukrainian army's capabilities.
During his visit to Washington, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed Germany's commitment to providing Ukraine with three additional mobile reactive systems for salvo fire HIMARS. These systems, sourced from the reserve of the US armed forces, will be financed by Berlin. This announcement follows previous deliveries of HIMARS installations to Kyiv by the United States in 2022, totaling 40 units thus far. President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Ukraine's allies to hasten the promised arms and ammunition deliveries to enable the Ukrainian military to regain the initiative against Russian forces on the front lines.
Zelensky stressed the importance of accelerating arms shipments to counter the advancing Russian forces in eastern Ukraine, emphasizing the need for specific systems in requisite quantities. Ukrainian air defenses reportedly intercepted all ten drones launched by Russia overnight, according to the Kyiv Air Force. Additionally, Moscow purportedly launched two cruise missiles, although their fate remains unclear.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a Ukrainian drone strike ignited a fire at a factory in Russia's Kaluga region, as confirmed by the local governor Vladislav Shapsha. No casualties have been reported and the blaze has been extinguished.
In parallel developments, Vyacheslav Volodin, the Speaker of the State Duma, disclosed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has nominated current Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin for another term as Prime Minister, a move that requires approval from the lower house of the Russian Parliament.
