Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a new defense co-production initiative during Mr. Zelensky’s brief visit to London to address his nation’s defense against Russia.
The two leaders announced the agreement in the garden of Mr. Starmer’s residence on Downing Street, where they also interacted with Ukrainian troops currently receiving training in the UK.
“I am truly proud to announce this afternoon an industrial military co-production agreement—the first of its kind between Ukraine and the UK—which marks a significant advancement in our continued contributions,” Mr. Starmer stated.
He did not elaborate further on the specifics of the agreement.
Earlier, Mr. Zelensky met with Britain’s King Charles at Windsor Castle, where they shared a handshake for the cameras during their third meeting this year, reinforcing Charles and Britain’s support for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader also engaged with the speakers of both houses of Parliament.
Recent overnight attacks resulted in damage across six of Kyiv’s ten districts.
This meeting coincides with Russian drone and missile strikes in and around Kyiv overnight, which left seven people dead, injured dozens, ignited fires in residential zones, and damaged the entrance to a metro station bomb shelter, according to Ukrainian officials.
At least six individuals died in Kyiv’s bustling Shevchenkivskyi district, where an entire section of a residential high-rise was obliterated, reported Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, via the Telegram messaging app.
Among those wounded were four children, he noted.
“The Russians’ tactic remains unchanged—to strike where civilians are likely to be,” Mr. Tkachenko remarked. “Residential buildings, access points to shelters—this is the Russian approach.”
In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its drone and missile assaults on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, as peace talks aimed at ending the conflict, which escalated following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, have shown minimal progress.
Both parties deny deliberately targeting civilians, yet thousands of non-combatants have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict—predominantly Ukrainians.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko indicated that there could still be individuals trapped under the rubble after the overnight strikes affected six of the city’s ten districts.
“Honestly, it wasn’t so much fear as it was my life being put on hold,” recalled a 75-year-old local resident. “You’re frozen, observing all of it and contemplating how you will survive.”
Ukraine’s air force reported successfully downing 339 of the 352 drones and 15 of the 16 missiles launched by Russia during the attack on four Ukrainian regions.
Russia unleashed hundreds of drones on Ukraine overnight.
Images shared by Ukraine’s State Emergency Service depicted rescuers guiding people to safety from burning buildings and other structures in the dark.
An entrance to a metro station in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district was also reported damaged, alongside a nearby bus stop, officials stated.
Throughout the conflict, Kyiv’s deep metro stations have served as some of the city’s safest bomb shelters.
Kyiv Polytechnic Institute reported damage to its sports complex, several academic buildings, and four dormitories due to the attacks.
In the greater Kyiv region, which encircles the Ukrainian capital, a 68-year-old woman was killed, and at least eight others were injured, officials confirmed.
Last week, Russia executed one of its deadliest attacks on Kyiv, in which hundreds of drones claimed 28 lives and left over 150 injured.
