Zelensky demands Patriot license after Russian attack wave kills eight

According to the president's tally, eight people lost their lives in the attacks. „Dutzende weitere verletzt“, Zelensky wrote regarding the consequences of the attack wave. He did not provide the total number of injured or details on the fatalities in his posts.

Parallel to the nighttime attacks, Zelensky issued a direct appeal to the United States. „Er appellierte an die USA, die zugesagte Lizenz zur Herstellung von Patriot-Luftabwehrsystemen rasch zu erteilen“, it was stated. With this, Zelensky once again lobbied for an acceleration of the already promised production license for the Western air defense system.

Appeal to the United States

Patriot systems are considered one of the few available means of defending against ballistic missiles. According to Kyiv's portrayal, Ukrainian domestic production could reduce dependence on deliveries from the United States and strengthen the country's defense capability. Zelensky had repeatedly pushed for a swift granting of the license in recent months.

The weekend attack wave is part of a series of Russian airstrikes in which missiles, drones, and guided bombs have been used, according to Ukrainian reports. „russischen Angriffen mit Raketen, Drohnen und Lenkbomben“, the reporting stated. The Ukrainian leadership sees this as a deliberate strategy of destroying critical infrastructure.

The news about the attacks and the Patriot appeal was broadcast on 11.07.2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. International reactions to the renewed escalation and Zelensky's initiative were not yet available at the time of reporting.

Background of the airstrikes

The Ukrainian Air Force and regional authorities called on the population to seek shelter and continue to take air raid warnings seriously. Given the ongoing attacks, the air situation remains tense in large parts of the country, according to Kyiv.

With the appeal to Washington, Zelensky connects the expectation that a domestic production line for Patriot systems will increase the responsiveness of Ukrainian defense against ballistic missiles. Whether and when the United States will actually grant the license was initially unclear.

The attacks underscore, from Kyiv's perspective, the urgency of additional Western support. Zelensky had repeatedly emphasized in the past that defending against ballistic missiles is one of the greatest challenges for Ukrainian air defense.

Overall, the night of attacks illustrates the precarious security situation in Ukraine. While air defense was able to intercept the majority of the drones and conventional missiles, the ballistic projectiles remained an uncloseable risk for the civilian population.