Nato countries to boost Ukraine’s missile defence after massive Russian strikes
Ukraine’s Nato-led allies have announced deliveries of advanced air defence weapons to Kyiv, after a spate of Russian missile strikes.
The weaponry promised by the UK, Canada, France and the Netherlands includes missiles and radars. The US earlier made a similar pledge. One high-tech system from Germany is already in Ukraine.
The pledges come as Ukraine’s allies from 50 countries meet at Nato headquarters in Brussels.
Kyiv hailed the summit as “historic”.
Hours later Russian shelling hit the southern city of Mykolaiv on Thursday morning, officials said.
The city’s mayor Oleksandr Senkevich said the city was “massively shelled” at around 01:00 local time (23:00 GMT).
“A five-storey residential building was hit, the upper two floors were completely destroyed, the rest – under rubble. Rescuers are working on the site,” he said.
It has been a particularly intense week in Ukraine – on Monday and Tuesday, it saw some of its heaviest Russian bombardment in months when more than 100 missiles were launched, hitting energy infrastructure and other non-military targets including a children’s playground.
At least 19 people were killed on the first day of the strikes, which included hitting central Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the missile strikes were retaliation for an attack on a key bridge linking Russia and Crimea – Ukraine’s southern peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.
Russia says Saturday’s blast was organised by Ukraine’s intelligence agency – a claim rubbished by Kyiv.
Agencies