(KYIV) – The Ukraine Defence Contact Group, known as the Ramstein format, concluded a meeting on Thursday with the United Kingdom and its allies pledging an additional $35 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.
Germany said it was ready to supply five more PAC 3 missile interceptors, provided that partner countries jointly contribute a total of 30 units. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin remained committed to strengthening Ukraine’s air defence.
He noted that Germany has already transferred five of its 12 Patriot systems and continues to supply air defence systems, guided missiles and ammunition. He added that Germany has earmarked €11.5 billion, equivalent to about $12.4 billion, for support to Ukraine in 2026.
Pistorius also highlighted joint projects aimed at improving Ukraine’s ability to disrupt Russian frontline attacks using advanced unmanned systems.
Meanwhile, Russia carried out further large scale strikes across Ukraine on Wednesday night and early Thursday, targeting residential areas and critical infrastructure.
In Odesa, a Russian drone hit a nine storey apartment building, causing a fire and injuring at least one person. Other strikes were reported near a supermarket and a shopping pavilion. Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said the attacks damaged key energy facilities.
In Dnipro region, four people were killed and three wounded in overnight strikes. Ukraine’s emergency services said two private homes were destroyed and victims were pulled from the rubble. In Dnipro city, four people, including two children, were injured as attacks hit homes, vehicles and infrastructure.
In Kyiv, one person was wounded and more than 100,000 households were left without electricity after Russian strikes damaged energy facilities. Officials later said power supplies had been restored. In Kramatorsk, an apartment building was hit, leaving two people injured.
Separately, Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy after competing with a helmet honouring athletes killed in the war.
The International Olympic Committee said the helmet breached rules banning political messages. The decision came shortly before Heraskevych was due to compete.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the ruling, noting that 660 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed since Russia launched its full scale invasion. He awarded Heraskevych the Order of Freedom in recognition of his stance.
The move also drew criticism from the European People’s Party and from leaders in Latvia and Lithuania.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the ban was in line with regulations designed to ensure a neutral and safe competitive environment. Heraskevych said he was shocked by the decision and insisted his helmet did not violate Olympic rules.
In a separate development, Ukrainian hackers reportedly exposed Russian attempts to obtain terminals from Starlink by posing as intermediaries.
The hackers created fake channels offering registration services. Within a week, Russian forces submitted more than 2,400 registration requests and paid about $6,000. The operation also identified 31 suspected collaborators inside Ukraine.
The group released a list of individuals allegedly involved in efforts to bypass registration rules, highlighting continued Russian attempts to secure battlefield communications.
