On Thursday, Ukrainian authorities stated that Russia launched an attack during the night using 17 drones. The incident resulted in damage in Mykolaiv and Odesa, but there were no reported injuries.

The air force of Ukraine reported that their air defenses successfully took down 11 drones in the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Vinnytsia, and Dnipropetrovsk areas.

The regional governor of Mykolaiv, Vitaliy Kim, reported on Telegram that there has been damage to both residential and industrial buildings.

The regional governor of Odesa, Oleh Kiper, stated that an unfinished high-rise building and a school suffered damage.

On Thursday, the Russian military reported that they had successfully taken down a Ukrainian drone that was attempting to attack Crimea.

Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s declaration in his evening speech to retaliate against Russia for every missile and drone they launch, attacks occurred hours later. Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine will focus on strengthening its air defense systems.

Following discussions with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Wednesday, the European Union’s chief of foreign policy, Josep Borrell, stated that the Ukrainian leader had requested extra supplies of ammunition, drones, and air defense systems.

Borrell’s main focus is securing EU military assistance for Ukraine.

On Wednesday, officials from the United States and NATO reiterated their unwavering support for Ukraine in its ongoing fight against Russia. Meanwhile, leaders in the humanitarian field condemned a series of missile strikes that Ukrainian President reported had resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals.

Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser of the United States, expressed confidence while speaking at NATO headquarters, despite the sudden failure on Tuesday of a Senate agreement to provide funding for Ukraine’s defense and strengthen the southern U.S. border. President Joe Biden also commented on the bill before it fell through, stating that the lack of U.S. support is playing into Putin’s wishes.

However, Sullivan expressed optimism.

“In the past 24 hours, many Republicans have expressed the importance of moving forward with a support package for Ukraine, regardless of other factors,” stated the speaker. “President Biden also emphasized the significance of providing the assistance outlined in the proposed package, as any failure to do so will be recorded in history.”

Additionally, he emphasized, like other members of the administration, that failure to follow through on Washington’s promises leaves no alternative plan.

According to Sullivan in Brussels, it is crucial for the United States to take action and provide sufficient resources, including artillery, air defense systems, and other necessary capabilities, to support Ukraine. Time is of the essence in this matter and we are committed to staying focused on delivering these resources.

The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters provided some of the information used in this report.