Kyiv, Ukraine – Patriot missile interceptors, highly sought after by Ukraine to defend against frequent Russian attacks, have become scarcer due to ongoing strikes. In response, US President Donald Trump has granted Kyiv a license to manufacture these United States-made systems domestically.

Despite this development, a short-term outlook suggests Ukraine may not see immediate benefits, according to Nikolay Mitrokhin, a researcher at Germany's Bremen University.

The conflict continues to impact infrastructure on both sides. On Tuesday, Russia's largest oil refinery in Omsk, southwestern Siberia, ceased operations following a Ukrainian drone strike the previous day. Additionally, Ukraine has targeted oil and military facilities near Russia's St Petersburg.

Russian attacks on Ukraine have resulted in casualties, including seven deaths during NATO leaders' meeting in Ankara. Meanwhile, Russia has escalated rhetoric, touting a 'war with NATO' amid losses in Ukraine. The war's economic toll is evident as half a million Russians have reportedly gone bankrupt amid the conflict.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom and former military commander, described the attacks as "expensive, technologically demanding and ultimately reciprocal" in an op-ed published by The Telegraph.

On the ground in Kyiv, residents like Kateryna Babich, whose first-floor apartment was struck by a Russian missile, express shock. Babich told Al Jazeera, "I always thought that nothing would happen to our apartment building because it was protected by new high-rises."

Sources