Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Ukraine’s allies to provide 10-12 more Patriot air defence systems that he said would fully protect its skies, after a Russian missile killed at least six people in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia. The attack destroyed a private clinic and injuring 20 more people, including a child. “We repeat again and again that air defences should save lives, not gather dust at storage bases,” Ukraine’s president said.
In Zaporizhzhia, rescuers worked in piles of rubble from the collapsed building where at least six people were trapped, the regional governor, Ivan Fedorov, said on the Telegram messaging app. Anna Zubchenko, a 26-year-old ophthalmologist, was working in her office when the attack happened. “The ceiling just collapsed onto my head. Another doctor was with me, she was hit harder. Once I dug myself out I started shouting ‘please help’,” Zubchenko said. She helped to partially dig out her colleague who was later evacuated by rescuers.
A missile attack damaged an industrial facility and cars in the south-western Russian port of Taganrog, the acting governor of the Rostov region said on Wednesday morning. Unconfirmed reports said Ukraine carried out a strike on an aviation and scientific complex. Svetlana Kambulova, the mayor of Taganrog, said some apartments were without heating after a boiler was hit.
The US has disbursed a $20bn loan for Ukraine backed by proceeds earned on frozen Russian assets, as part of a $50bn G7 support package. Zelenskyy said he was “deeply grateful” for the disbursement, calling it “a powerful act of justice”. The US treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, called it a “critical infusion of support as [Ukraine] defends its country against an unprovoked war of aggression”. Donald Trump, who will become US president in January, has said he will “probably” reduce aid to Kyiv.
On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said a drone attack had severely damaged its official vehicle heading to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in a Russian-occupied part of the region. No one was injured and workers were safe, said the agency’s chief, Rafael Grossi. Zelenskyy said the drone was Russian. There was no immediate comment from Moscow.
The US state department has approved the potential sale to Ukraine of F-16 sustainment services and related equipment for $266m, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. The principal contractors will be Sabena, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Pratt and Whitney, the Pentagon said in a statement.
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, said peace talks on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine could begin this winter. Poland is a staunch backer of neighbouring Ukraine and next month will take over the rotating EU presidency. Tusk also announced a series of upcoming talks with foreign officials. “Our [EU] presidency will notably be co-responsible for what the political landscape will look like, perhaps how the situation will look during [peace] negotiations, which could begin – though there are still question marks – in the winter of this year.”
