Romania’s government says two people were injured early this morning when a Russian drone struck an apartment building in the eastern city of Galați. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in response that the 32-member nuclear-armed military alliance “stands ready to defend every inch of Allied territory.” In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Europe is a party to the Ukraine conflict and cannot act as a mediator.
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched waves of drones overnight targeting Russian oil and fuel infrastructure. Russian officials reported strikes on refineries, fuel storage sites and a seaport. Reuters reports virtually all major oil refineries in central Russia have been forced to halt or scale back fuel output due to Ukraine’s attacks, with Russian fuel output down by more than a quarter.
This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote a letter to President Trump and members of Congress asking for further shipments of interceptor missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot missile batteries. The request comes as the Center for Strategic and International Studies reports it will take the U.S. at least three to eight years to replenish stockpiles of interceptors depleted during the U.S. war on Iran. On Thursday, Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said during a visit to Kyiv that he supported Ukraine’s request for more air defenses, and he rejected Russia’s warning that foreigners and diplomats should leave Kyiv.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal: “America is not leaving Ukraine. Our diplomats are here to stay.”