LIVE UKRAINE. Zelensky again asks for more weapons and anti-aircraft defenses after night-time attacks | War Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine could have intercepted all the missiles fired last night if it had had the right assets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky writes this on X. He reiterated his demand for more air defense short-term.

“Last night, Ukraine was targeted by 34 Russian missiles. We managed to intercept some of them. But the world has all means to intercept any missile or drone intercepted by Russian terrorists,” Zelensky said.

“What Ukraine needs are anti-aircraft systems, enough high-quality weapons for the front and fast deliveries. Terror must always be defeated. Anyone who stands by us saves lives.” Finally, Zelensky once again thanked the United States and its allies for all the support that has already been provided.

The US announced yesterday that it would send air defense ammunition and artillery to Ukraine. The delivery is part of a package worth 6 billion dollars (more than 5 billion euros). According to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, this is the largest support package to date. Ukraine urgently needs those weapons if it wants to resist Russia.

During the night from Friday to Saturday Russia launched a “massive attack” on Ukrainian energy supplies. Installations were damaged and at least two people were injured, said Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.

According to Halushchenko targets attacked in three regions in central and western Ukraine. In those attacks, Moscow used “cruise missiles of different types,” the Ukrainian army said in a daily bulletin. In total 34 missiles launched, 21 of which were shot downUkraine claims.

A An 89-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man were injured. The first victim was injured in an artillery bombardment in Nikopol district, in the center of the country. The man was hit in an attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the neighboring district, local army commander Oleksandr Vilkul said.

The Ukrainian energy supplier DTEK indicates that four of its thermal power stations suffered damage. Recently, Moscow has increasingly and more intensely targeted the Ukrainian energy infrastructure. About 80 percent of the so-called thermal power stations, which are used for fuel, and 35 percent of the hydroelectric power stations have been switched off, according to the authorities.

Russia also says so downed Ukrainian drones last night. According to the Ministry of Defense, this concerns 66 drones over the southern Russian region of Krasnodar and another two over occupied Crimea.

According to the Ukrainian army staff, there have been skirmishes with the Russian invading army in 94 different places in the country. Also hMoscow has carried out 12 rocket attacks and 76 air strikes in the past 24 hours. The army reported this on Saturday morning via messaging service Telegram. The Ukrainian air force says the danger has temporarily subsided after a night of “massive rocket attacks”, but several explosions were reportedly heard in Kherson afterward.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that it has intercepted 66 Ukrainian drones in the Russian region of Krasnodar, which is connected to the Crimean peninsula by a bridge.

The messages could not be independently verified.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced on Friday a new component of 6 billion dollars (5.6 billion euros) in aid for Ukraine. The first part of 1 billion dollars (about 930 million euros) had already been announced on Wednesday.

The two amounts are part of the 61 billion dollars (more than 57 billion euros) in support for Kiev that was approved in Congress this week. The billion dollars announced on Wednesday is aid from the US military’s stocks. The aid announced Friday comes from contracts with the defense industry or from partners. It will take more time to get that help to the battlefield.