Kiev Mayor Calls Recent Russian Missile Attacks the Worst Since 2022

In Tehran, Oman and Iran have agreed to continue discussions aimed at reaching a mutual understanding to ensure the security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Kiev's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, characterized the recent series of intense Russian air attacks on the Ukrainian capital as unprecedented since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in 2022. He attributed these assaults to Ukraine's newly demonstrated strength on the battlefield.

Speaking to the German tabloid Bild, Klitschko stated, "The Russian ballistic missile attacks are worse than ever before." He added that these strikes represent an escalation in Moscow's war against Ukraine.

Over the course of one week, the Russian military carried out three severe air attacks on Kiev, employing not only drones but also cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

The consequences for the Ukrainian capital were devastating, with dozens killed and more than 100 injured. The attacks caused damage to numerous residential buildings, some of which were completely destroyed.

Klitschko expressed his conviction that the escalation pursued by Russian President Vladimir Putin is also a reaction to Ukraine's newfound battlefield capabilities. The former world boxing champion said Putin is under immense pressure "to the extent that he now apparently wants to bomb Kiev into rubble before winter begins."

He called on Ukraine's Western partners to increase assistance in air defense. Klitschko noted that Kiev relies on systems such as the US-produced Patriot missiles, particularly for intercepting ballistic missiles.

Russia maintains it can penetrate any Western air defense systems supplied to Kiev.

At the recent NATO meeting in Turkey, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air defense missiles.

However, Trump acknowledged that manufacturers Raytheon and Lockheed Martin have not yet been notified, and key questions regarding financing and production schedules remain unresolved. Experts warn that constructing a production facility would take years.