Ukraine's military intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko said Ukrainian strikes are contributing to Russia's budget deficit, "which today stands at $82 billion."
EU countries have already backed the request, but the European Commission is set to give a final green light on Sept. 11, EU and national diplomats confirmed to the Kyiv Independent.
As of 8:30 a.m., with the attack still ongoing, air defenses had downed or suppressed two ballistic missiles, 31 cruise missiles, and 142 drones. Strikes were recorded at 29 locations, while debris from intercepted drones and missiles fell at nine additional sites, the Air Force said.
The attack has killed at least three people and injured 16 others, according to local officials. The strike signals a definitive end to Kyiv's brief respite while hosting U.S. envoys.
Ukraine is currently undergoing a deep political crisis, fuelled by seemingly endless corruption investigations into the country's top leadership, the emergence of radical nationalist forces, and a rising popular backlash to both mobilization and government policy overall.
Our upcoming briefing will focus on the following questions:
* What is the real state of the "elections debate" started by ex-Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov?
* What can we learn from the emergence of right-wing parties,
About Russia
The Kyiv Independent’s coverage of news on Russia. Spanning eleven time zones across Eastern Europe and Asia, Russia has an estimated population of 146 million people. Russia’s capital city is Moscow, which is home to almost one in 10 Russians. Russia’s official currency is the Russian Ruble.