Zelensky urges Europe to speed up delivery of Patriot interceptor missiles after overnight Russian strikes kill four

Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Europe to speed up delivery of Patriot interceptor missiles after a Russian missile killed four Ukrainians overnight. He said Moscow targeted strikes on the Dnipro region last night while the Russian defence ministry claimed it struck a cargo vessel carrying Ukrainian army supplies.The ship was bound for the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk, in south-west Ukraine, when it came under attack. Russian forces also hit a logistics centre, a distribution centre and a logistics terminal in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The ministry said the facilities had been used for storage and distribution of dual-use cargo for the Ukrainian military.Reuters could not independently verify Moscow's claim but images taken in Kharkiv overnight show firefighters at the site of a shopping centre which was also struck by missiles. Meanwhile, an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Belgorod, near the Russian border, killed two people and injured 13, local authorities said on Sunday.Alexander Shuvayev, Belgorod's regional governor, said: 'The attack has damaged 30 blocks of flats, 35 cars, four houses, three administrative buildings, eight commercial premises and three social facilities.' images taken in Kharkiv overnight show firefighters at the site of a shopping centre which was also struck by missiles Moscow claimed that overnight it had struck a cargo vessel bound for the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk which was carrying Ukrainian military supplies Meanwhile an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Belgorod, near the Russian border, killed two people and injured 13, local authorities said on SundayAnother person was killed and one was injured in a village near the town of Shebekino, authorities said.Mr Zelensky said on Sunday: 'This past week alone, Russia has launched around 1,600 guided aerial bombs, 48 missiles of various types, including ballistic missiles, and nearly 2,300 attack drones against Ukraine. 'Unfortunately, almost every day, these brutal strikes leave people killed and injured. 'In the evening, Russian strikes on the Dnipro region killed four people. My condolences to their families and loved ones. 'Another 22 people were injured, including an 11-year-old girl. In Vinnytsia, a Russian drone struck a high-rise apartment building. Six people were injured.'In Kharkiv, the Russians first struck a home improvement hypermarket and then carried out a cynical double-tap strike on the emergency services that arrived at the scene. First responders were injured. 'There were also strikes overnight on a thermal power plant, substations, coal mines, grain storage facilities, shopping malls, and a postal logistics hub. Damage has been reported in nine regions.'This is how Russia responds to diplomacy and deisolation.' The Ukrainian president added that Europe needs to 'unblock' the delivery of Patriot interceptor missiles and that allies 'need to continue supporting Ukrainian combat aviation to defend against jet-powered "shaheds" [Russian drones].' In June it was announced that Britain would help Ukraine build their own Patriot air defence system in a bid to reduce Kyiv's reliance on supplies from the US.Washington has not been sending as many of the Patriot system's Pac-3 missiles as usual with the US redirecting resources to the Middle East.It has meant Moscow have been able to barrage populated areas in Ukraine in recent months due to a shortage of the surface-to-air defensive missiles that would typically intercept Russian attacks.Mr Zelensky has repeatedly warned about the risks of this shortage, admitting in May that he is being 'very persistent' in pressing the US to provide his country with more Patriots.And now, Britain and other European countries are said to be filling in the gaps by working on an alternative anti-ballistic system - a move coordinated by Nato.Last night's exchanges between Russia and Ukraine came as Elon Musk said on Sunday that his company SpaceX has restricted Ukraine's Starlink service. Mr Musk had accused Kyiv of violating the terms of service by using it for military operations - but he denied responsibility for the issues Ukraine has faced with Starshield, the US-run defence counterpart. The tech billionaire said: 'Ukraine military violated Starlink terms of service and used it for offensive drone strikes to kill people.'He said the loophole was closed last week, adding: 'Starlink's terms have remained consistent as a civilian system, not a means of killing. Violation of those terms will result in end of service.' Mr Musk said Starlink remained 'critical to the defense of Ukraine, as it is the only system that cannot be jammed or blown up, at least for now'. 'Were Starlink to be turned off, the Ukrainian front line would collapse immediately.' On Friday, Donald Trump said that if there was still a problem with access to Starlink communication systems in Ukraine, he would get it straightened out. Firefighters work at the site of an apartment building damaged during Russian drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Vinnytsia, Ukraine October 25 People gather outside a residential complex hit by what local authorities described as a Ukrainian overnight drone strike in Belgorod, Russia Residents, volunteers and municipal workers clear debris in a damaged residential area in the city The US President told reporters at the White House that he had not spoken to SpaceX CEO Mr Musk about the matter but, if access was not fixed, he would speak to him.Mr Zelensky said on Saturday: 'The most important thing today is that Starlink and Starshield operations have been restored to the speeds we had before the restrictions. 'The speeds are now where they need to be. The restoration began overnight, and by this morning, speeds were already sufficient. 'This matters: for our frontline logistics, for defending Ukraine against jet-powered 'shaheds.' 'I thank all Americans and all our partners who took this seriously and truly helped – members of Congress, senators, all the media, the State Department, and the President. Protecting lives matters.'While Mr Musk has shifted stance on Ukraine many times since Russia's invasion in 2022, he has insisted that any disruption was the responsibility of the US government, not SpaceX.Kyiv relies on the civilian Starlink satellite communications system and the military-grade Starshield version as it tries to defend itself from Russian missile and drone attacks.Ukrainian defence minister Yevgeniy Khmara said yesterday: 'Monitoring systems are recording a recovery in the speed of Starlink/Starshield. Pictured:An image shared on social media by Belgorod mayor Valentin Demidov which shows damage to the city following an overnight drone attack on Belgorod Cars were set ablaze and residential buildings were destroyed in the Ukrainian attacks on the city overnight'We are registering a speed of more than 400 km/h, the connection is stable. 'This result is above all important for our front, for our soldiers, for the operation of drones, for logistics and for communications.'Right now, the speed is what we need. The restoration began during the night.'This is very important; it's significant for our frontline logistics, for protecting Ukraine from rocket-powered drones.'The satellite network has been at the centre of a row between Ukraine and the US.Mr Zelensky had accused Washington of helping Russia by failing to warn Kyiv of incoming missile strikes and hobbling its military response by throttling Starlink's speed.Mr Khmara credited Zelensky's 'firm stance' on the issue, judging that it was 'bearing fruit'.