Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

Borrell calls on Europe to increase air defense support in wake of Kharkiv attack

by Abbey Fenbert May 26, 2024 4:15 AM 2 min read
Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the von der Leyen Commission, stands in the European Parliament building and speaks. (Philipp von Ditfurth/picture alliance via Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, condemned Russia's attack against a hypermarket in Kharkiv and urged Europe to send Ukraine additional air defense in a social media post on May 26.

Russian forces struck a crowded hardware shopping center in Kharkiv with two guided bombs in the middle of the day on May 25, killing at least six people and injuring at least 40 others.

"I condemn in the strongest terms  Russia's heinous attacks against Kharkiv city today, including a crowded mall, killing and wounding  civilians," Borrell said on X following the attack.

"All perpetrators of these and other Russian war crimes will be held to account."

Borrell said the deadly attack emphasizes Ukraine's urgent need for additional air defense systems and called on European countries to provide assistance.

Russia’s latest offensive into Kharkiv Oblast is stretching Ukrainian defenses
Russia’s two-pronged assault in Kharkiv Oblast that began on May 10 is exploiting Ukraine’s troop shortage, forcing it to make difficult decisions about where to commit reserves. Two weeks into the offensive, one group of Russian forces is already fighting in the streets of the town of Vovchansk

"These systematic Russian crimes against civilians and civilian infrastructure stress again the need for Europe to urgently ramp up support for air defense: it saves lives and protects Ukrainian towns," Borrell said.

Borrell's plea echoes that of Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who asked allies to send Patriot air defense systems following news of Russia's attack.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, too, reiterated the importance of air defense weapons in the aftermath of the hypermarket bombing.

"When we tell world leaders that Ukraine requires adequate air defense protection, that true decisiveness is required to ensure the effective protection of our people's lives and that Russian terrorists cannot even approach our borders, we are literally talking about how not to allow such terrorist strikes," Zelensky said.

Borrell on April 18 urged EU member nations to supply Ukraine with additional anti-missile systems, sounding the alarm on escalating Russian strikes.

Russia launched a new offensive against Kharkiv Oblast on May 10, with a reported 30,000 troops.

Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

10:00 AM

US says North Korean troops join combat alongside Russia.

"Today I can confirm that over 10,000 (North Korean) soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to the far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces," spokesperson Vedant Patel said.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.