18/08/2025. Washington D.C., United States. Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets Ukraine President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Alexander Stubb, President of Finland, Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump where they will discuss the future of Ukraine at the White House. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that seven Ukrainians were killed by a Russian attack that used North Korean missiles.
“Emergency response efforts have been ongoing since last night to deal with the aftermath of the Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia. The city was struck with North Korean ballistic missiles,” Zelensky posted on X Tuesday. “It was a vicious attack, calculated to inflict maximum damage specifically on civilian infrastructure. Unfortunately, as of now, six people have been reported killed and nineteen wounded in the city.”
The death toll has since been updated to seven. Russia also targeted other regions of Ukraine, including the capital city.
Zelensky went on to call on the international community to put more pressure on Russia and supply Ukraine with more air defenses. “More sanctions pressure specifically on enterprises that fuel Russia’s war, more air defense assistance for Ukraine – all of this is needed to give peace a chance,” he wrote.
During a meeting with President Donald Trump last month, Zelensky said Ukraine needed a “winter package” of 300 Patriot missiles. He warned that Kiev’s stockpile of interceptors is nearly depleted and Ukrainian energy infrastructure would be vulnerable to Russian missile attacks.
The US has depleted its stockpile of advanced interceptors during the war against Iran.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies reported the US had fewer than 827 Patriot missiles available in its arsenal. Before the war, the US had over 2,200 of the advanced interceptors. Additionally, the US has used about 40% of its THAAD interceptors, leaving just 278 in the Pentagon’s stockpiles. CNN confirmed the CSIS estimate with three sources familiar with the matter.
The President’s top military aides have advised Trump not to order a major attack on Iran due to the shortage of munitions.
