Zelenskyy says ‘ready to buy' US air defence systems as Russia launches ‘biggest' airstrikes on Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the United States and its allies to send more air defence systems after a Ukrainian F-16 pilot was killed during a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks.
'This war must be brought to an end pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection,' Zelenskyy said in a post on X. 'Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence the thing that best protects lives. These are American systems, which we are ready to buy.'
He added, 'We count on leadership, political will, and the support of the United States, Europe, and all our partners.'
Almost all night long, air raid alerts sounded across Ukraine — 477 drones were in our skies, most of them Russian-Iranian Shaheds, along with 60 missiles of various types. The Russians were targeting everything that sustains life. A residential building in Smila was also hit,… pic.twitter.com/1ExZhYAMBg
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 29, 2025
Zelenskyy said he had raised Ukraine's request for more Patriot missile batteries with President Donald Trump during a NATO summit earlier this month. The US has not announced any new military aid since Trump returned to office.
The Ukrainian President's renewed call came after an overnight Russian barrage that involved 477 drones and 60 missiles. Ukraine's Air Force said 211 drones and 38 missiles were shot down.
At least 12 people were injured, including two children in the Cherkasy region. Damage was reported in Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy and Ivano-Frankivsk.
One of the casualties was F-16 pilot Maksym Ustymenko. According to Ukraine's Air Force, he destroyed seven airborne targets before his jet was hit. 'The pilot used all of his onboard weapons and shot down seven air targets. While shooting down the last one, his aircraft was damaged and began to lose altitude,' the Air Force said in a statement quoted by Reuters.
Zelenskyy confirmed the pilot's death in a separate message posted with video footage showing damage to civilian areas. 'Tragically, while repelling the attack, our F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, died. Today, he destroyed 7 aerial targets. My condolences to his family and brothers-in-arms,' he wrote.
Russia has increased the frequency of large-scale airstrikes in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials said Moscow launched more than 1,270 drones, 114 missiles and 1,100 glide bombs over the past week alone.
Russia's state-run RIA news agency said a Ukrainian drone killed one person in the Russian-held part of Luhansk. Both sides deny targeting civilians.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
42 minutes ago
- Mint
Russia unleashes largest air assault yet with 500+ drones and missiles, says Ukraine
Russia fired over 500 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, its largest aerial attack since the war began, as being claimed by Ukraine, says an AP report. Ukraine's air force reported 537 weapons launched, including 477 drones and 60 missiles. Air defenses shot down 249 targets, while signal disruption likely disabled 226 others. Strikes hit western regions far from the frontline fighting, killing at least 10 civilians across Kherson, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia. In Lviv, drones ignited a major industrial fire and cut power. Tragically, a Ukrainian F-16 jet crashed during defense operations, killing its pilot. Poland and allies scrambled jets to protect their airspace as explosions echoed near their border. The assault came despite Putin's Friday offer of new peace talks, a proposal Ukraine dismissed, given ongoing attacks. Russia claimed minor territorial gains, announcing control of Donetsk's Novoukrainka village after costly ground advances. Meanwhile, Moscow reported downing 12 Ukrainian drones overnight, with two people injured in Bryansk. The attack underscores Russia's evolving tactics: improved drone technology and concentrated barrages are increasingly overwhelming Ukraine's defenses. Civilian infrastructure suffered heavily, including a nine-story building reduced to rubble in Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian officials confirmed that at least four separate regions faced simultaneous missile and drone waves. Responding to battlefield pressures, President Zelenskyy withdrew Ukraine from the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning Roman Kostenko defended the move, saying, 'Russia isn't part of this treaty and uses mines indiscriminately against our people.' The decision follows similar steps by Poland and Baltic states. Separately, Russia's spy chief revealed a phone call with CIA director William Burns, keeping rare communication channels open. As Ukraine buries its dead and clears rubble, analysts warn Russia may intensify attacks before anticipated Western F-16 reinforcements arrive. The overnight barrage marks a grim escalation as the war nears its 29th month with no diplomatic breakthrough in sight.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Trump says wealthy US group is ready to buy TikTok, but needs China's approval
US President Donald Trump has announced that a group of wealthy individuals is ready to purchase TikTok's US operations. In an interview aired on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Trump said he plans to disclose the identities of the buyers within the next two weeks.'We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way,' Trump stated. 'I think I'll probably need China's approval. I think President Xi will probably do it. It's a group of very wealthy people,' Trump reported by Reuters, Trump noted that the proposed sale may require the endorsement of Chinese authorities. ByteDance, TikTok's Beijing-based parent company, remains in control of the app's global operations. The US president said he believes Chinese President Xi Jinping will likely support the deal. A potential agreement to restructure TikTok's US business under American ownership was in development earlier this year. That plan involved converting TikTok into a US-based company controlled by domestic investors. However, the transaction was delayed when China signalled that it would not approve it, just days after Trump announced new tariffs on Chinese these hurdles, Trump extended the deadline for a sale multiple acknowledged TikTok's influence on young American voters, crediting the platform for increasing his appeal among youth during the 2024 presidential President has maintained a more positive stance towards the app, in contrast with his earlier efforts to ban or force its sale. More details on the potential buyers and the deal structure are expected to emerge in the coming weeks.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersTune InMust Watch
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Todd Chrisley reveals son Grayson's unusual request on the day of his prison release
Todd and Julie Chrisley are back home after staying two years apart from their family. Their son Grayson, now 19, had just one request when they walked through the door in Tennessee. After two years in prison, Todd and Julie Chrisley are back home, and their son Grayson found comfort by sleeping in their room on the day of their return. REUTERS/Seth Herald(REUTERS) Grayson asked his parents to let him sleep in their room. 'He came in and said, 'Can I sleep with you tonight?' I said, 'You can,'' Todd recalled during a recent interview on My View With Lara Trump. Todd, 56, and Julie, 52, were both released from federal prison in May after being granted presidential pardons. They had spent time in separate facilities in Florida and Kentucky. Grayson, who was still a teenager when his parents went to prison, was scared to believe they were really home. 'The first night he said, 'I'm scared to go to sleep because I feel like I'm just going to wake up in the morning and they're not going to be here,'' Savannah Chrisley said during the interview. Savannah, 27, had custody of both Grayson and their younger sister Chloe, 12, while their parents were incarcerated. 'Grayson's always said, 'I have two moms,' because we're nine years apart,' she added. Savannah and Grayson leaned on each other Savannah said Grayson believed she saved him; however, in reality, 'he saved me.' The past two years brought them even closer. 'Going through this together has been such a whirlwind,' she added, and her brother echoed the sentiment. Now that his parents are back, he says what matters most is just being together. 'You take those times for granted when they are home. Then one day, it's just gone,' he said. This year's Father's Day held special meaning for the Chrisley family. Grayson shared a heartfelt post on Instagram for Todd, marking their first celebration together in nearly three years. 'Happy Father's Day to the man I look up to,' Grayson wrote on June 15. 'I really don't know how you do it… I pray every day that one day I can be at least half the man you are,' he added. Todd and Julie's return has brought relief and healing to the whole family. And for Grayson, it means one thing: he finally feels like things are whole again. ALSO READ: Who are Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley? Convicted TV stars Trump plans to pardon FAQs Who are the Chrisleys and why are they famous? The Chrisleys are a reality TV family best known for their show Chrisley Knows Best, which followed the life of Todd Chrisley, a wealthy real estate developer, and his family. Are the Chrisleys still wealthy? Their exact financial situation is not public, but they have faced major legal fees and financial troubles following fraud convictions. Do any of the Chrisleys have a college degree? Yes, some of the Chrisley children have attended college, including Savannah, who studied at Lipscomb University and later Belmont University in Nashville.
