Zelenskyy seeks air defense aid from South Korea and Japan

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has launched a new diplomatic initiative targeting East Asian technological powers to bolster Ukraine's air defense. Speaking from Belgrade, Zelenskyy explicitly called for cooperation from South Korea and Japan, viewing their industrial capabilities as critical to securing Ukrainian airspace. He also expressed interest in receiving air defense support from Israel.

Zelenskyy noted that the United States will grant licenses for the production of Patriot missiles, a move he described as a force multiplier for national defense. He remarked, "imagine if we had received them four years ago, we would have already made Patriots for everyone," suggesting that faster decision-making could have altered the conflict's trajectory.

Separately, Zelenskyy expressed satisfaction with the results of a 40-day operation by the Security Service of Ukraine targeting strategic Russian infrastructure. The operation involved strikes on oil tankers supplying Crimea, energy facilities, and the online retailer Wildberries.

Amid these developments, Russian strikes on the Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions resulted in at least three deaths and multiple injuries, including four young children in Pavlohrad.