Ukraine renews plea for air defenses ahead of Rome Reconstruction Summit

“This growing terror highlights the urgent need to strengthen our air defenses, including through investment in interceptor drones,” said Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha on X, referring to a recent surge in Russian drone and missile attacks.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russia launched a record 728 drones in one wave.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that over 300 Shahed drones and 13 missiles, including Kinzhal hypersonic and Iskander ballistic missiles, were used in the latest Russian assault.

He praised Ukraine’s newly developed interceptor drones, which helped neutralize a portion of the aerial threats. He highlighted Kyiv’s push to scale up domestic drone production to counter Russia’s growing capabilities.

Zelenskyy also renewed calls for tougher sanctions on Russian oil exports.

“This is further proof of the need for sanctions, hard sanctions, on oil, which has financed Russia’s war machine for over three years,” he said, urging secondary sanctions on countries continuing to buy Russian crude.

Civilian death toll mounts in massive Russian strikes

The wave of Russian attacks resulted in several civilian casualties across Ukraine on Wednesday.

In the western region of Khmelnytskyi, one person was killed, while a child died in Kherson following a drone strike.

The most severe toll came in Donetsk, where Russian surveillance drones struck two civilian vehicles in the town of Rodynske, killing all five passengers.

Just ten minutes later, a separate airstrike hit the city of Kostiantynivka, killing three men on the street.

Zelenskyy linked the increasing attacks to Moscow’s attempt to weaken Ukraine’s infrastructure amid ongoing international pressure for a ceasefire, an option the Kremlin continues to reject.

Economic recovery tied to air security

While the Rome conference will focus on attracting investment for Ukraine’s postwar recovery, Zelenskyy insists that economic revival is impossible without adequate air defense.

The Ukrainian President has repeatedly emphasized that securing major cities and industrial zones with Patriot and other anti-air systems is key to restoring business confidence and protecting economic infrastructure.

On Tuesday night, roughly 50 drones and five missiles targeted the Volyn region in western Ukraine, far from the front lines, including the normally quiet city of Lutsk.

“Strikes like these don’t just damage buildings, they scare off investors, drive people out of the country, and prevent refugees from returning,” said one official familiar with Ukraine’s reconstruction strategy.

Last week, Zelenskyy met with United States investors and encouraged them to lobby the Trump administration for additional air defense support.

For the first time, United States President Donald Trump signaled openness to approving new military aid, including Patriot missile systems and interceptors.

Kyiv now hopes to receive further deliveries of US-made equipment to help defend not only Ukrainian lives and infrastructure but also American investments in the country. EFE

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