President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that the United States continues to supply weapons to Ukraine despite the ongoing conflict in Iran. In voice messages to reporters, he emphasised that long-range strikes are persistently targeting Russian oil production and manufacturing facilities.
“Of course, we are hitting what is painful for Russia and it is very painful,” Zelenskyy said. He claimed that Russian losses from these strikes have reached tens of billions of dollars. Independent verification of his remarks was not possible, but Russian officials have acknowledged attacks on infrastructure located more than 1,000 kilometres inside Russian territory.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has relied on domestically developed drone and missile technology to strike deep into Russian territory. The Ukrainian military also uses American-made Patriot air defence systems to intercept Russian missiles targeting Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
“We see that the Russians do not want to stop — they are hitting our energy sector and our people. We will respond,” Zelenskyy added.
Deadly Drone Attack on Dnipro
In the central city of Dnipro, a Russian drone attack killed three people and wounded ten others, according to Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the regional military administration. A 13-storey residential building and an administrative building were damaged in the strike, Hanzha reported on the Telegram messaging app.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that its air defences intercepted 154 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the annexed Crimean Peninsula, the Sea of Azov, and the Black Sea.
In the Krasnodar region on Russia's Black Sea coast, authorities said 276 firefighters were battling a massive blaze at the port of Tuapse for a third consecutive day. The fire was caused by a Ukrainian drone attack earlier this week. Toxic material from the fire fell with rain, covering several districts of Tuapse with a black layer of dirt, the region’s emergency headquarters reported. Officials said the concentration of chemicals in the air exceeded safe levels and advised residents to stay indoors.
Prince Harry Praises Ukraine's Resilience
In Kyiv, Prince Harry arrived on Thursday for his third visit in a year, praising Ukraine's resistance against the Russian invasion. Speaking at a security conference, he said Ukrainians have demonstrated “strength not just in bravery and capability, but in unity, in trust.” He urged the country to continue holding together, stating, “Ukraine continues to hold together and hold together you must.”
The Duke of Sussex travelled from Poland by overnight train, the only way to reach the Ukrainian capital. It was unclear whether he would meet with Zelenskyy, who was in Cyprus attending a summit of European Union leaders. That summit is expected to address Ukraine's ongoing needs, including the EU's mutual defence clause and the Hormuz crisis.
Ukraine's continued reliance on domestic drone innovation has also highlighted broader European defence challenges, as explored in a recent analysis of Europe's slow adaptation to drone warfare.
