Allies rush thousands of drones to Ukraine as Russia unleashes deadly missile barrages

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Ukraine’s allies pledged a massive new military aid package Wednesday, including 120,000 drones from the U.K., after Russia launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles in fresh overnight strikes.

The commitments came as Kyiv warned of escalating Russian bombardments and urgently pressed for more air defenses.

Russia launched 324 drones and three ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said, part of a broader surge in aerial assaults, according toReuters.

Russian strikes hit more than a half a dozen areas of Ukraine behind the front line on Tuesday and Wednesday, TheAssociated Pressreported.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking at a podium

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is turning battlefield innovation into bargaining power, offering anti-drone systems to Middle Eastern allies while seeking more air defense support as the war with Russia drags into its fourth year.(Atta Kenare/AFP)

Between November and March alone, Moscow fired roughly 27,000 Shahed-type drones, nearly 600 cruise missiles and 462 ballistic missiles, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

“Every day we need air defense missiles — every day Russia continues its strikes,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.

The latest attacks struck multiple regions behind the front lines, killing an 8-year-old boy in thecentral Cherkasy regionand injuring a woman in southern Zaporizhzhia, according to Ukrainian officials.

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Firefighters extinguishing fire in a multi-story apartment building in Kharkiv

Firefighters put out the fire in a multi-story apartment building after a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, March 7, 2026.(Andrii Marienko/AP)

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has now stretched beyond three years.

Defense leaders from about 50 countriesmet virtually Wednesday to coordinate military aid and boost weapons production and especially air defense systems.

The session was led by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and British Defense Secretary John Healey, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also present.The United States was represented by Under Secretary of Defense for PolicyElbridge Colby.

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Remains of a Shahed-136 drone displayed with other damaged weapons in Kharkiv

The remains of a Russian-made, Iran-designed Shahed-136 drone, known in Russia as a Geran-2, are displayed with other recovered drones, glide bombs, missiles and rockets in Kharkiv July 30, 2025.(Scott Peterson/Getty Images)

Several countries also announced new contributions to Ukraine.Germany and Ukraineagreed on a 4 billion euro ($4.7 billion) defense package, while Norway pledged 9 billion euros (about $10.6 billion) in assistance.

The Netherlands said it will spend 248 million euros ($293 million) to produce drones for Ukraine.The United Kingdom pledged 120,000 drones.

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Russia pushed backon the expanded support, warning that European efforts to boost drone production for Ukraine risk deepening their involvement in the conflict.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the decision by European countries to supply drones to Ukraine was leading to an escalation of the military-political situation and a “creeping transformation” into Ukraine’s strategic support base,TASSreported.

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