Russian missile and drone attacks kill 4 in Ukraine as Zelenskyy pleads for air defense

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday killed at least four people and wounded 20, officials said, and prompted fresh pleas from Ukraine's president for Western air defense systems.

In the capital, Kyiv, two people were killed and 13 were wounded in a ballistic missile attack in the early hours of Saturday, Kyiv's police said.

A fire broke out in a non-residential building in one location, while debris from intercepted missiles fell in an open area at another site, damaging windows in nearby buildings, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service wrote on the message app Telegram.

“Explosions in the capital. The city is under ballistic attack,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram during the onslaught.

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, two people were killed and seven wounded, acting regional Gov. Vladyslav Haivanenko said, adding that apartment buildings and private homes were damaged in the strikes.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched nine missiles and 62 drones, of which four missiles and 50 drones were intercepted.

In Russia, the Defense Ministry said its air defenses shot down 121 Ukrainian drones over Russia overnight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that such attacks intensify Ukraine's need for Patriot defense systems.

“It is precisely because of such attacks that we pay special attention to Patriot systems — to be able to protect our cities from this horror. It is critical that partners who possess relevant capability implement what we have discussed in recent days," he wrote in English on X.

“America, Europe and the G7 countries can help ensure that such attacks no longer threaten lives,” he said.

As plumes of smoke from the attack in Kyiv rose in the background, Ukrainians went about their day shopping in a popular nearby farmer's market unhindered, having become accustomed to frequent Russian air assaults.

“We didn’t know the attack was right here, but even when we figured it out we still came. Despite the Russians' strike, there are still a lot of people here who need to eat. I knew that people would come to shop, " said Halyna Stetsiura, 54.

The fruit and vegetable vendor arrived very early in the morning to prepare her stall, while the attacks were still underway.

Serhi Lihus, 53, a beekeeper, said he was driving to the market when he heard the explosions. “It was still dark, approximately 6:30, everything was on fire," he said. Still he showed up to the market to sell his honey.

Svitlana Shyshlovska, 40, a customer, said despite the threat of attacks, “you still need to buy food to have something to eat and such markets are not an everyday occasion."

Zelenskyy is hoping Ukraine can purchase 25 Patriots from the U.S. to fortify its air defenses, particularly in cities.

Zelenskyy on Friday urged the United States to expand its sanctions on Russian oil from two companies to the whole sector, and appealed for long-range missiles to hit back at Russia.

Zelenskyy was in London for talks with two dozen European leaders who have pledged military help to shield his country from future Russian aggression if a ceasefire stops the more than three-year war.

The meeting hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer aimed to step up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding momentum to recent measures that have included a new round of sanctions from the United States and European countries on Russia’s vital oil and gas export earnings.

The talks also addressed ways of helping protect Ukraine’s power grid from Russia’s almost daily drone and missile attacks as winter approaches, enhancing Ukrainian air defenses, and supplying Kyiv with longer-range missiles that can strike deep inside Russia. Zelenskyy has urged the U.S. to send Tomahawk missiles, an idea U.S. President Donald Trump has considered.

Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy for investment and economic cooperation, said Friday he believes Russia, the U.S. and Ukraine were “quite close to a diplomatic solution” to end the three-year war.

Speaking to CNN after arriving in Washington for talks with U.S. officials, Dmitriev said a planned summit in Budapest between Trump and Putin had not been canceled but would likely occur later.

Trump said Tuesday his plan for a swift meeting with Putin was on hold because he didn’t want it to be a “waste of time.”

Speaking aboard Air Force One on his way to Malaysia on Saturday, the U.S. president said he would only reschedule the meeting if he was certain of progress.

“I’m going to have to know that we’re going to make a deal. I’m not going to be wasting my time. I’ve always had a great relationship with Vladimir Putin but this has been very disappointing," Trump said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made clear in public comments Tuesday that Russia is opposed to an immediate ceasefire.

A White House official confirmed Friday that Dmitriev, who announced his visit on X, will meet with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the private meeting.

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Morton reported from London. Associated Press journalists Andrea Rosa in Kyiv and Mark Schiefelbein aboard Air Force One contributed to this report.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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This version has been corrected to show that Dmitriev will meet Witkoff.