Zelensky says interceptor delays 'directly assist Russia' after 16-missile, 280-drone night assault

President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Ukraine's partners of hampering his country's air defences on Tuesday, saying that prolonged delays in delivering interceptors for Patriot and NASAMS systems were giving Russia operational advantage.

"The artificial and prolonged delays in the delivery of interceptor packages for Patriot and NASAMS systems directly assist Russia in achieving the goals of its terrorist campaign," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

Russia fired 16 ballistic missiles and more than 280 drones in an overnight assault. Ukrainian air defences shot down or neutralised two ballistic missiles and 255 drones. Impacts were recorded at 25 locations; debris from intercepted targets fell at a further 16.

One person was killed and 15 injured. A strike on a university campus in Kyiv wounded five students and staff members. The Pivdennyi (South) Bridge in Kyiv was hit, prompting its closure. The Green Line metro was also disrupted. Mayor Vitalii Klitschko released photographs of damage to the bridge; authorities have not announced when traffic or metro service will resume.

Strikes were reported in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Odesa, Chernihiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Kherson and Chernivtsi regions. Zelensky said Russian targets in almost every instance were energy infrastructure, logistics and civilian urban infrastructure.

Zelensky called for stronger international pressure on Moscow and for military aid to arrive on time.