In his daily address to the nation, the President of Ukraine thanked the West for providing air defense systems and talked about Ukraine's long-range weapons.
Ukrainian forces successfully hit Russian radar installations in Kursk Oblast, a move possibly aimed at weakening Russian air defenses as Ukraine anticipates Western fighter jets.
A new training hub opens in Romania for Ukrainian pilots to learn to fly F-16s. Germany will send two additional IRIS-T anti-air systems, while the US has reportedly purchased 60 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks from Jordan to provide to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian shelling of Kherson killed two civilians and wounded at least 12, including a two-month-old baby.
During the interview with Meet the Press, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia's air superiority prevented the Ukrainian counteroffensive from advancing faster, but strong air defense would add momentum.
The Russian air defense's recent loss of four SAM launchers in Ukraine highlights the inadequacies of Russia's Integrated Air Defense System and puts a strain on its remaining systems, according to British intelligence.
Ukrainian forces positioned across Mykolav, Vinnytsia, and Khmelnytskyi oblasts thwarted a Russian air assault, successfully destroying all six Shahed one-way attack drones in a nighttime operation.
As winter approaches, Western allies are providing air defense systems to Ukraine through leasing agreements to help protect against Russian aerial attacks. The strikes on Kherson came amid intense fighting along multiple frontlines in the east and south, with over 60 battles reported in the past day according to Ukraine's military.
As winter looms, Russia's strikes on Ukraine's energy grid threaten heating and electricity for civilians. Ukraine races to repair and maintain energy amidst ongoing Russian attacks, challenging Ukrainian resilience this winter.
Last winter, Russia launched about 1,000 such drones, while only in September 2023, it launched 500, trying to overwhelm Ukrainian air defense and targeting mostly infrastructure.