Russian ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv come after Zelenskyy’s warning

Russian forces launched ballistic missile strikes against Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday, with multiple explosions reported at 1:18 a.m. local time. Kyiv's mayor confirmed that non-residential buildings caught fire during the assault, and city officials instructed residents to seek shelter. The attack followed a warning issued by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the previous day, in which he cautioned that a major Russian offensive was likely and stressed that Ukrainian security depended on allied support for air defence systems. Zelenskyy had just returned from Washington, where he met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. During their discussions, which lasted just over an hour, Trump reportedly agreed to permit Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles domestically. Trump subsequently posted on social media that the meeting "went very well" and that "many things were discussed." Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized Ukraine's urgent need for additional air defence missiles, particularly PAC-3 interceptors compatible with existing Patriot systems. Currently, only US Patriot systems can effectively counter Russian ballistic missiles, yet Ukraine faces a severe shortage of the necessary interceptor rounds. This deficit has been compounded by broader regional tensions, including military operations in the Middle East. The Ukrainian leader has also noted that Russia has suffered substantial losses on the battlefield, diminishing its strategic initiative. Relations between Zelenskyy and Trump have improved since Trump's second term began, with the US president recently suggesting that Ukrainian strikes within Russian territory could contribute to ending the conflict.