Ukraine has received a new batch of missiles for its NASAMS air defence systems, and talks on missiles for Patriot systems are still going on, president Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on 29 September. He called the shipment "a very good package."
Belgium will send three more F-16 fighter jets by the end of the year. Zelensky said they will help protect Ukraine's skies, since fighter jets are also used to shoot down Russian attack drones.
Ukraine needs stronger air defence because of the scale of Russia's attacks, the president said. From the morning until 6pm on 29 September, Russia fired more than 100 drones, 29 of them jet-powered. Ukraine shot down 18 of the jet-powered drones and destroyed most of the regular Shahed drones too.
Overnight into 29 September, Russian forces hit Kyiv with ballistic missiles and drones. Ukraine's air defence intercepted the targets, including a ballistic missile.
In Sumy, Russian aircraft dropped four bombs. One hit an apartment building and killed one person; another fell on a school, but students and teachers were in a shelter and no one there was hurt.
This week brings new talks with Ukraine's partners on air defence and further support. Last week Ukraine got 3.3 billion euros from the EU for weapons, and in the coming days it expects a new payment from Brussels — this time as budget support.