Mal Smith

Since last night, response efforts have been underway in Kyiv and the surrounding region following Russia’s strike. There were numerous fires across the city. Seven districts were affected, and, as usual, the Russians struck ordinary residential buildings. Eighteen residential buildings, a school, the Lithuanian Embassy, and infrastructure facilities were damaged. As of now, nine people have been reported killed in this attack. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Dozens of people were injured. Medical teams are helping everyone who needs it. Overnight, the Russians launched 35 missiles at Ukraine, including 27 ballistic missiles, as well as 185 attack drones of various types. Kyiv was the primary target, but strikes also hit the Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions. Only one ballistic missile was intercepted, simply because there are no interceptors for the Patriot systems. And it is this shortage of ballistic missile interceptors that only encourages Russia to launch such attacks that take human lives. It is critical that partners hear that these capabilities are needed not somewhere in stockpiles for hypothetical scenarios, but here and now, to contain and stop the Russian war in Ukraine. Every package of ballistic missile interceptors saves the lives of our people. And every night without them results in more casualties. I thank everyone who is working to strengthen our defenses.

Today, the Russians used their ballistic missile to destroy an ordinary house belonging to an ordinary family in Radushne, near Kryvyi Rih, in our Dnipro region. It was the Voronov family: mother Olena, father Artem, seven children – Mark, Dominika, Zakharii, Azarii Ilai, Federica, Emilia, and Viorika – and one-and-a-half-year-old grandson Artem, the child of their eldest son, who is now defending Ukraine. As of now, it has been confirmed that parents and three children – Mark, Azarii Ilai, and Emilia – were killed. The Russian missile struck with such force that almost nothing was left of the house… Fragments of human bodies were found under the rubble, and only forensic examinations can establish which members of the family they belong to. The fate of Zakharii, Dominika, Viorika, Federica, and Artem is still being determined… It is a horrific crime of Russia’s war against Ukraine – against ordinary people, against ordinary life. This Russian evil can only be stopped by the whole world. No one in the world can be left to face such terror alone. And when we say that Ukraine needs missiles for Patriots, when we seek the capabilities to defend ourselves against Russian ballistic missiles, this isn’t about abstractions. We are talking about families like this, people like these, who can live if we have the means to shoot down Russian missiles – if our partners help us with interceptors. Families who can be killed if we have nothing to stop Russian Iskanders with. It is important that these people are seen by those who make decisions – decisions at the Pentagon, in European capitals, and everywhere in the world where there is an opportunity to help Ukraine protect lives. Reality speaks for itself. Protecting lives is necessary. Air defense missiles are necessary. Eternal memory to all Ukrainians who were killed by Russian strikes… Eternal gratitude to everyone who helps!