Zelensky tells Blinken that Ukraine needs urgent air protection, asking for “Patriots”

“Airguard (is) our biggest deficit. I think the biggest problem is... today we really need two Patriots for the Kharkiwi region because there are people attacked -- civilians and warriors. Everybody. They are under Russian missiles”, Zelensky told reporters before his meeting with Blinken.

The Institute for War Research in Washington said last month that missile attacks and Russian aircraft against Ukraine have become much more effective in recent months, even though there has been no dramatic increase in their size or frequency, CNN reports, Klankosova broadcasts.

Instead, Russian forces are exploiting the degradation of Ukraine's air defence umbrella, caused by continuing delays in Western security support and appear to be using tactical adjustments stemming from Russian monthly efforts to test Ukraine's” air defence, the Washington-based group said in a report.