German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits Kyiv as Zelenskyy reports Russian drone strikes across Ukraine

Europe-Asia, International

KYIV, Ukraine (NPA) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched another wave of drone attacks across Ukraine, killing one person and injuring six others.

Zelenskyy said a Russian drone struck the Pivnichnyi Bridge in Kyiv on the morning of the attack, coinciding with a visit to the Ukrainian capital by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

He said Russian drones also struck a pharmaceutical warehouse in Sumy, killing one person, while a communications facility in Dnipro was attacked, leaving six people injured.

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According to Zelenskyy, Russia launched 135 attack drones against Ukraine overnight, more than 50 of them jet-powered.

He said the Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia regions came under attack, with residential buildings and critical infrastructure among the targets.

Zelenskyy said power outages were reported in some communities, while emergency and response services were working at the sites hit by the attacks.

“It is important that Ukraine is not left alone against this terror,” he said.

The Ukrainian president said Russia had used more than 1,900 attack drones, 1,700 aerial bombs and 25 missiles against Ukraine during the week.

More than 800 of the drones were jet-powered, he said, adding that Russia must be held accountable for what he described as an escalation.

Zelenskyy also welcomed the visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to Kyiv, describing Germany as a country that had consistently demonstrated leadership in protecting Ukrainian lives from Russian attacks.

He thanked Germany for its support, saying the two countries were preparing decisions aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defensive capabilities and improving Europe’s ability to protect itself.

“There will be important agreements between Ukraine and Germany. Russia must be stopped together,” Zelenskyy said.