Macron promises Ukraine more interceptor missiles amid deadly Russian strikes

France has committed to supplying Ukraine with additional interceptor missiles to bolster its air defenses against ongoing Russian assaults. The announcement comes amid a fresh wave of deadly attacks that have claimed numerous lives across Ukraine and Russia.

Overnight and Saturday, strikes resulted in at least 13 fatalities: seven in Ukraine, four in Russia, and two in Crimea, which Russia annexed. Rescue efforts were underway in Kryvyi Rih, eastern Ukraine, where a shopping center was partially destroyed by a Russian drone attack the previous day, killing 16 people. France and the United Kingdom are leading a coalition of nations set to meet Monday to discuss increasing pressure on Moscow to end its invasion.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated on social media platform X, "It is extremely important to provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to defend its airspace and thwart this aggression." He announced the new delivery of interceptor missiles aimed at bolstering Ukraine's defense capabilities. Russia has intensified its attacks with ballistic missiles in recent months, particularly targeting the capital, Kyiv. These high-speed missiles are difficult to intercept and reach targets within minutes, leaving little time for Kyiv residents to reach underground shelters.

Ukraine has been grappling with a critical shortage of advanced interceptor missiles, especially U.S.-made Patriot systems, for several weeks. Its own weaponry is insufficient to shoot down the dozens of high-trajectory ballistic missiles Russia launches. In Kryvyi Rih, following the Friday afternoon strike on the crowded shopping center, three people remained missing as of Saturday. The total confirmed death toll from that attack reached 16, with over 100 injured. A second drone strike occurred about half an hour later, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned as cynical and despicable. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike hit a residential building in southern Russia on Saturday, killing two children and injuring their parents, according to the regional governor.