Russia has launched 130 missiles, over 320 attack drones, and almost 900 guided aerial bombs against Ukrainian civilians since the beginning of March, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 19.
So far in March, Russian strikes have killed civilians across Ukraine, including Sumy, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv oblasts. More 20 people were killed and over 70 injured in an attack on Odesa on March 16.
"Every day and every night, Russia is waging a terrorist war against our people, against ordinary cities and villages of Ukraine, using drones, missiles, and guided bombs," Zelensky said on Telegram.
While Ukraine has proven that it can effectively shoot down these weapons, "we need more protection," Zelensky said.
Air defense systems like Patriots "should do what they were created for, which is to protect lives, and not gather dust in storage."
The Washington Post reported on March 15 that based on assessments by Western officials, munitions for some of Ukraine's air defense systems may be nearly used up by the end of March.
Ukraine has tried to shoot down four of every five missiles aimed at its cities, but the shortage in munitions for its defenses may soon force Ukraine to aim for only one of every five, one of the officials told the Washington Post.
Ukraine is coming under increasing pressure as its munitions stocks run low and a foreign U.S. aid bill has been blocked in Congress due to political fighting.
The bill would allocate $60 billion for Ukraine and has remained stalled for months, despite pressure from the White House and other members of Congress.
Chris York
