Russian forces fired missiles and launched drones in a nighttime attack on Kyiv and five other regions of Ukraine, officials said. Ukraine's air force reported intercepting 29 of the 30 air targets, which included four cruise missiles, one Kinzhal ballistic missile, and 24 Shahed drones. Several people sustained injuries. This attack occurred just ahead of a series of international diplomatic meetings focused on the ongoing war, now in its third year.
President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the air force's response and called for increased air defense support from Western allies. The United States has agreed to provide another Patriot missile system. Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) rich democracies, including U.S. President Joe Biden, are meeting in Italy to discuss further support for Ukraine, focusing on funneling more aid from Russian assets frozen in their countries. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will also host a meeting in Brussels to discuss Ukraine's security needs, and a Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit will take place without Russian representatives.
On another front, a convoy of Russian Navy ships, including the frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, is set to arrive in Havana, Cuba. This five-day visit is seen as a sign of strengthening ties between Russia and Cuba amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia. The ships, which conducted drills in the Atlantic en route, will be open to the Cuban public for tours. U.S. military assets have been monitoring the fleet but consider the activity non-threatening and routine. The Cuban Ministry of Armed Forces emphasized that the visit does not pose a threat to the region and stressed its longstanding friendly relations with Russia.