Zelensky Visits Moscow-friendly Serbia As Russian Attacks On Kyiv Region Kill 4

BELGRADE, Serbia — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Russia’s latest deadly attacks connected Kyiv connected Saturday arsenic he visited Serbia, 1 of nan fewer European countries that has maintained friends relations pinch Moscow passim its warfare connected Ukraine.

Four people, including a child, were killed successful nan overnight strikes connected Kyiv and nan surrounding region. Ukrainian forces deed Russian lipid facilities.

Zelensky arrived successful Belgrade connected Friday for his first charismatic sojourn to Serbia.

Speaking astatine a news convention successful Belgrade pinch Zelensky, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic described Ukraine arsenic a “friendly nation” and said he was honored to invited nan Ukrainian leader — nan first sojourn by a Ukrainian president successful 8 years.

The 2 leaders discussed their countries’ efforts toward joining nan European Union, bilateral ties and ways to grow cooperation.

Kyiv’s residents look regular drone and rocket barrages that Ukraine’s depleted aerial defenses are struggling to antagonistic amid Moscow’s four-year-old full-scale invasion, while repeated Ukrainian strikes connected lipid accommodation person caused substance shortages and rattled Russians.

Zelensky blames ‘paperwork’ for Patriot delays

Vucic, who has maintained adjacent ties pinch Moscow and refused to punishment Russia complete nan penetration — drafting unit from nan EU to alteration people — reiterated that Serbia respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity and said that position would not change.

“The business successful Ukraine is difficult,” Zelensky said astatine nan news conference. “There was different rocket onslaught past nighttime — ballistic missiles targeting our infrastructure. There were besides onslaught drones.”

Zelensky said that deliveries of U.S.-made Patriot aerial defense interceptors — nan sole aerial defense limb successful Ukraine’s arsenal capable to sprout down ballistic missiles — person slowed compared pinch a twelvemonth ago.

“There are less of these missiles successful 2026. In 2025 location were more, I’ll show you honestly, successful position of monthly supplies,” he said.

Zelensky said that Washington has agreed to fto Ukraine manufacture its ain Patriot aerial defense interceptors, but that they are “stuck dealing pinch paperwork.”

“The process for immoderate of these licenses is besides taking a agelong time,” he said.

Boy, grandparents killed

The talks successful Belgrade came aft Russian drones destroyed nan location of a family successful nan Brovary district, northeast of Kyiv, sidesplitting a 3-year-old kid and his grandparents, section officials said.

Three different members of nan family and a neighbour who came to their assistance were hospitalized, section authorities said. The onslaught reduced nan location to rubble and wrecked outbuildings and cars.

Zelensky said astatine slightest 1 different personification died successful a “strike involving six ballistic missiles against civilian infrastructure” successful nan capital.

In its regular report, Ukraine’s aerial unit said it had downed aliases intercepted 135 of 151 drones launched by Russia overnight. The onslaught besides progressive six ballistic missiles and different guided missiles.

Russia has relentlessly pounded civilian areas of Ukraine, moreover though Moscow insists its forces target only subject facilities.

Ukraine’s aerial defenses changeable down astir 5,300 drones and missiles past month, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Friday, conscionable nether 60% of nan astir 9,000 onslaught drones and missiles Russia fired successful nan aforesaid period.

Moscow is exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of interceptors for nan Patriot systems.

Zelensky has pleaded pinch different countries, particularly nan U.S., to nonstop much of nan ammunition made scarcer by nan Iran war. Failing that, he wants to make Patriot ammunition successful Ukraine aliases triumph support from Elon Musk to usage his Starlink outer communications strategy to guideline strikes wrong Russia that tin deed its rocket launchers.

Following nan latest attacks, Zelensky appealed connected X for much sanctions to “prevent nan accumulation of these ballistic missiles,” on pinch “anti-ballistic capabilities” and “interceptor missiles.”

Ukraine strikes Russian lipid facilities

In Russia, six group were wounded erstwhile a occurrence collapsed retired astatine nan Ilsky Oil Refinery successful nan confederate Krasnodar region aft debris fell from a downed drone, section officials said.

Ukraine’s General Staff said Ukrainian forces struck nan refinery successful Krasnodar, on pinch nan Syzran Oil Refinery successful nan Samara region, much than 500 miles wrong Russia.

Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, politician of Russia’s Samara region, said drones deed an “industrial enterprise,” but he did not mention nan refinery.

Ukraine’s almost regular long-range drone and rocket strikes utilizing domestically developed weapons person battered Russian lipid accommodation for months. The cognition has brought a substance situation that is embarrassing nan Kremlin.

Gec and Yurchuk constitute for nan Associated Press. Yurchuk reported from Kyiv. AP writer Elise Morton successful London contributed to this report.