Zelensky pleads for Ukraine's "air shield" after Russian onslaught

• Image Credit: Google

• Oct 12, 2022 | Dhupali Das

Following the assaults, the US committed to increase air defence exports to Ukraine...

Digital Desk: Following a string of deadly Russian aerial attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on affluent Western nations to assist Kyiv in establishing an "air shield."

After Monday's horrific missile salvos across Ukraine, Zelensky warned Russia "still has room for further escalation," telling the G7 club of rich nations that "millions of people would be glad" for assistance in repelling aerial attacks.

Following the assaults, the US committed to increase air defence exports to Ukraine, while Germany guaranteed delivery "in the next days" of the first Iris-T missile shield capable of protecting a city.

In a week of significant escalation in the war, G7 leaders said Belarus's intention to deploy combined forces with Russia represented a new instance of "complicity" with Moscow, advising Minsk to "stop aiding" Russia's invasion.

G7 leaders promised to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for the attacks after speaking with Zelensky, but they did not specify how.

Before the G7 meeting, the Kremlin had already said it expected "confrontation" with the West to continue.

Russia responded to the missile launches earlier this week with more aerial attacks on Tuesday.

Officials in Ukraine's western region of Lviv said at least three Russian missiles fired Tuesday targeted energy infrastructure, forcing Kyiv to ask people to cut their electricity usage and switch off appliances at night.

Russia's defense ministry confirmed the resumed attacks on Tuesday, saying large strikes had been carried out using long-range and high-precision weapons, and that "all allocated targets were hit."