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Patriots Must Protect Lives, Not Sit in Storage, Zelenskyy Tells Allies After Russian Night Attacks
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
Following a large-scale overnight Russian missile and drone attack on multiple Ukrainian regions, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and proposed the localization of air defense system production within Ukraine, contingent on political decisions from international partners.
In his afternoon address on April 6, Zelenskyy confirmed that he had held a meeting with military officials to assess the latest Russian assault, which involved the launch of 23 missiles and 109 attack drones, including Shahed UAVs.
The attacks caused damage across Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv regions, and the capital itself, where one person was killed and three others injured.
“We need to strengthen our air defense – this is an objective reality,” Zelenskyy said. “All agreements previously reached with partners that have not yet been implemented must be urgently activated. Patriots currently in storage abroad should be used to protect lives.”
Zelenskyy directed Ukraine’s Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs to intensify coordination with international partners, particularly in the context of the upcoming Ramstein-format meeting.
He stated that Ukraine’s two immediate priorities are securing additional air defense systems, especially Patriot batteries, and advancing discussions around the deployment of allied military contingents.
The president also urged the United States and European countries to increase production of both air defense systems and accompanying missiles, noting that Ukraine has the industrial capacity to contribute to this effort.
“Ukraine can ensure the production of such systems,” he said. “But this requires appropriate political decisions – localization of production, licenses – steps that would benefit not only us but all partners interested in security and peace.”
Zelenskyy noted that this proposal has already been discussed with partners and there is a shared understanding that localized production is feasible. “Each Russian strike is a reminder that it is time to implement the agreements reached earlier,” he added.
Zelenskyy also emphasized that every day of continued Russian missile and drone attacks leads to lost lives and missed diplomatic opportunities. “Today, Russian ballistic missiles targeted Kyiv. Every day means more casualties. Every day means more lost chances for diplomacy,” he said.
Earlier on April 6, Russian missile and drone attacks struck multiple regions across Ukraine, including Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kupiansk, and Sumy. The strikes damaged residential buildings, civilian infrastructure, and industrial sites, leaving several people injured. Fires broke out in multiple locations, with emergency services working overnight to contain the destruction.
Two days earlier, on April 4, a Russian ballistic missile and drone strike hit a residential area in Kryvyi Rih, killing 19 people, including 9 children. According to local authorities, dozens remain hospitalized, with several—among them two children—in critical condition.
On February 19, President Zelenskyy said that 20 Patriot systems and a US license to produce missiles for them could serve as an alternative to deploying American troops in Ukraine.
He noted that Ukrainian forces had already faced situations where they ran out of interceptor missiles during Russian attacks and stressed that Ukraine could operate and maintain the systems independently if granted production rights.
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-924c3c302c27387e19f6c44aaeb98745.png "Maryna Kulakova")
