Early on Saturday, Kyiv came under another ballistic missile attack, killing at least 10 people, according to Reuters. “Fires and destruction occurred in five districts of the capital,” the state emergency service reported. Another 22 people were reportedly injured in the attack. The strike came as Donald Trump backed away further from a promise to let Ukraine produce its own Patriot air defense interceptors, which it urgently needs to shoot down Russian missiles. More than a dozen explosions shook Kyiv, and residents were told to stay in shelters.
In Kyiv’s Darnytsky district, the attacks damaged several buildings and vehicles, with authorities reporting seven people killed and 14 wounded there. In Solomiansky district, two people were killed and eight others wounded, where strikes hit a five-story residential building. “Everything was smashed, the windows, everything,” 75-year-old resident Kateryna Kravchenko told AFP about her apartment. “I can barely stand. I don’t know how I’m going to get through all this.” The emergency service said on Saturday morning that 105 people in Kyiv had been rescued from affected areas.
On Friday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Trump and other US officials to help Ukraine get permission from Elon Musk to use the Starlink satellite internet service for guiding strikes inside Russia. Zelenskyy made the request directly to Trump during an Oval Office meeting this week, according to a person familiar with the matter. He also reportedly raised the issue with lawmakers later on Capitol Hill, saying he wanted Starlink’s help. Trump did not commit to Zelenskyy’s request. Musk allows Starlink use within Ukraine, including Russian-occupied areas, but restricts it inside Russia.
During a cabinet meeting at Camp David, Trump told reporters that handing over the underlying Patriot technology was “a hard thing” to do. Zelenskyy had met with Trump earlier this week and said Trump had agreed to license the production of Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Asked whether he was ready to grant Kyiv a license to build Patriots domestically—something he had suggested at a Nato summit in Turkey just this month—Trump said: “We have not agreed to that. We’re talking about it, but it’s a hard thing to give away that kind of technology.” Giving away the weapons carried its own risks, he added: “People that you give that technology [to], they can some day turn on you. You know that is possible.”
Several thousand Ukrainians gathered in central Kyiv on Friday, angry about Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss the defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. Fedorov is widely credited with driving military innovation during Ukraine’s war with Russia. But after taking charge of the wartime ministry in January, he was removed in a surprise government reshuffle in mid-July. Since then, Ukrainians have been gathering near the presidential office, pushing for Fedorov to be reinstated, as he has refused to accept another government post.
Russia’s main grain lobby group warned on Friday that Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian ships and ports could halt grain exports via the Black Sea, pushing up prices and causing hunger in Africa and the Middle East. Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, and Ukraine, also a major agricultural exporter, have been attacking each other’s facilities and vessels in the Black Sea area in recent weeks, driving wheat prices higher. The disruption to shipping in the Black Sea caused by Ukrainian attacks “poses a direct threat to global food security,” Russia’s Union of Grain Exporters and Producers told Reuters.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian online retailer Wildberries amount to “acts of terrorism” against civilians, affecting millions of people in Russia and other countries, the company’s founder and CEO, Tatyana Kim, complained on Friday. Ukraine has attacked more than a dozen Wildberries sites since 18 July in an effort to disrupt the operations of the company.Yes, a supplier to the Russian war effort and a key pillar of Russia’s consumer economy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the provided topic written in a natural tone with clear concise answers
General Background
Q What exactly happened in Kyiv
A A Russian missile attack struck the city of Kyiv killing at least 10 people The attack caused significant damage and is part of the ongoing war in Ukraine
Q Does President Zelenskyy think Starlink is just for communication
A No He is pushing for Starlink to be used more aggressively specifically to help Ukraine conduct offensive military operations against Russian forces not just for basic communication
Q What is Starlink
A Starlink is a satellite internet system created by SpaceX It provides highspeed internet access anywhere in the world including in war zones where traditional internet cables are destroyed
Q Why is Starlink so important for Ukraine
A It is crucial for Ukraines military communications drone operations and coordination of troops Without it their battlefield command and control would be severely degraded
The Starlink Controversy
Q Why wont SpaceX let Ukraine use Starlink for offensive operations
A SpaceX has reportedly restricted the use of Starlink for controlling offensive drones to avoid being seen as directly participating in offensive attacks that could escalate the war
Q What does offensive operations mean in this context
A It means using Starlink to guide weapons like strike drones toward enemy targets This is different from defensive use which includes communication mapping and logistics
Q Is Starlink currently free for Ukraine to use
A It has been largely funded by the US government and other allies but the financial arrangement is a point of ongoing tension SpaceX has previously complained about the cost of keeping it running
Q What is President Zelenskyy asking for specifically
A He is asking SpaceX to lift the restrictions so that Ukrainian forces can use Starlink to control their longrange attack drones to strike Russian military targets more effectively
Q If Starlink is restricted can Ukraine just use it anyway
