Zelenskyy in Berlin: Ukraine seeks stronger backing

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is acceptable to conscionable with recently appointed German chancellor Friedrich Merz successful Berlin connected Wednesday, arsenic Ukraine continues to question enhanced subject enactment amid escalating Russian attacks.

This gathering comes arsenic Kyiv contends with a renewed question of drone and rocket strikes, and amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed astatine resolving the prolonged conflict.Germany, recognized arsenic the second-largest supplier of subject assistance to Ukraine aft the United States, has maintained a pivotal relation successful supporting Ukraine’s defense. Chancellor Merz, who assumed bureau 3 weeks ago, stated connected Monday that Berlin and its occidental allies are nary longer imposing scope limitations connected weapons supplied to Ukraine.

This argumentation displacement could alteration Kyiv to grow the operational scope of its antiaircraft and counteroffensive capabilities arsenic it faces Russia's full-scale invasion, which began successful February 2022.Since taking office, Merz has engaged successful diplomatic initiatives to beforehand a ceasefire and prolong Western enactment for Ukraine amid rising determination tensions. His efforts travel arsenic subject enactment has intensified on the astir 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) beforehand line, with some Ukrainian and Russian forces conducting heavy strikes crossed contested areas.

Over the past 48 hours, the struggle has witnessed immoderate of the heaviest drone and rocket attacks to date. On Tuesday nighttime and into Wednesday morning, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported intercepting 296 Ukrainian drones crossed 13 Russian regions. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that aerial defenses downed 33 drones approaching the capital, portion Moscow portion politician Andrei Vorobyov reported that 42 drones were intercepted.

Drone debris reportedly damaged 3 residential buildings successful the colony of Troitskoye, though nary casualties were reported. The attacks caused disruptions astatine Moscow airports, with galore flights delayed oregon diverted.Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russian forces launched a combined battle overnight involving 5 Iskander ballistic missiles, 1 guided air-launched missile, and 88 drones.

Ukrainian aerial defence systems changeable down 34 drones, portion 37 were reportedly jammed. Despite these defenses, Ukraine’s railway infrastructure was targeted successful the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Sumy...