Russian Strikes Kill Two Ukrainian Civilians Amid Ongoing Drone Exchanges and Zelenskyy's European Aid Push

# Russian Strikes Kill Two Civilians in Ukraine as Zelenskyy Seeks Air Defense Aid from Europe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s top diplomatic priority is securing allies’ help to buy and build more air defense systems. Zelenskyy made the statement on Wednesday between meetings with European leaders.

He said 'Every day we need air defense missiles — every day Russia continues its strikes' in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian strikes hit more than a half-dozen areas of Ukraine behind the front line from Tuesday to Wednesday. The strikes killed an 8-year-old boy in the central Cherkasy region, according to Zelenskyy and local officials. Russian strikes also killed a woman who was in a kiosk near a bus stop that was hit in southern Zaporizhzhia, according to Zelenskyy and local officials.

Russia launched 324 drones and three ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force. The launch was the biggest barrage in almost two weeks. Air defenses intercepted 309 of the 324 drones.

5 metric tons at the central part of Sloviansk before dawn Wednesday, according to Sloviansk City Military Administration head Vadym Liakh. The FAB-1500 blast destroyed a children’s sports facility that was a city landmark in Sloviansk. Russian forces struck two universities in the southeastern city of Dnipro overnight, according to Mayor Borys Filatov.

The strike in Dnipro damaged academic buildings, dormitories and nearby homes. The blast wave in Dnipro shattered more than 1,000 windows in surrounding buildings. Mayor Borys Filatov stated there were no military targets in the area of the Dnipro strike.

Zelenskyy Visits European Capitals for Support Zelenskyy was visiting three European capitals in 48 hours.

Zelenskyy’s trip to Italy occurred on Wednesday. Zelenskyy secured promises of further military and financial support from Germany and Norway. Zelenskyy is asking European countries to keep adding money to a fund that allows the purchase from the United States of American-made weapons for Ukraine.

The fund purchase focuses especially on the Patriot air defense system. Zelenskyy stated the Patriot system can stop Russian cruise and ballistic missiles hitting civilian areas. Zelenskyy is championing joint weapons production agreements, including for drones and missiles.

Zelenskyy is pushing for the European Union to move quickly on providing a promised 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) loan.

International Meeting Coordinates Aid Defense leaders from the 50-plus partner nations were to hold an online meeting on Wednesday.

The online meeting coordinates weapons aid for Kyiv. The online meeting was chaired by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and British Defense Secretary John Healey. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due to attend the online meeting.

Britain announced it will send 120,000 drones to Ukraine this year. The 120,000 drones represent Britain’s biggest delivery of the weapons so far. The drone package includes long-range strike drones, intelligence and reconnaissance drones, logistics drones and maritime capabilities.

Russian Defenses Intercept Ukrainian Drones The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones overnight over several Russian regions, the annexed Crimean peninsula and the waters of the Black and the Azov seas.

Ukrainian drones targeted an industrial facility in Sterlitamak, a Russian city about 1,300 kilometers (roughly 800 miles) east of the border with Ukraine, according to local authorities. Several drones were shot down over Sterlitamak’s industrial zone, according to Radiy Habirov, governor of the Bashkortostan region.

Debris from the drones fell on one of the facilities in Sterlitamak’s industrial zone, sparking a fire.

Radiy Habirov made the statement in an online statement on Wednesday. Ukraine has been fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion for more than four years.