Russia hammers Ukraine ahead of Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting

Russia attacked Ukraine overnight Monday and into the morning, killing two and injuring 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

“Russian strikes are always an assault on humanity — in Kyiv, a kindergarten caught fire, along with residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure. Ordinary apartment buildings were damaged in Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and the region. 15 people have been injured, the youngest is a 12-year-old boy. Everyone is receiving assistance. Two people were killed in the attack,” Zelenskyy noted in the post on Monday.

TRUMP, RUTTE ANNOUNCE ‘REALLY BIG’ NATO ARMS PACKAGE AMID NEW 50 DAY DEADLINE TO PUTIN

“Throughout the night, Russia launched more than 420 drones and over 20 missiles, including ballistic ones. The waves of attacks lasted all night and continued into the morning. In the morning, ‘shaheds’ once again targeted the Kharkiv region. During the shelling, mobile fire groups, army aviation, electronic warfare units, Air Force warriors, and interceptor drones were in action. Many targets were shot down — but unfortunately, not all. That is why we must continue scaling up our interceptor capabilities. This is the kind of solution that can protect us from massive attacks,” he noted in another part of the lengthy post.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is seen on July 10, 2025 in Rome. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

Last week while speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, President Donald Trump spoke about a plan involving other countries purchasing military equipment from the U.S. and supplying military equipment to Ukraine. 

Trump indicated that equipment will be swiftly delivered to the battlefield for Ukraine’s use.

NATO CHIEF PRAISES TRUMP’S WEAPONS SALES TO ALLIES AS ‘SIGNIFICANT’ MOVE THAT COULD FORCE PUTIN TO NEGOTIATE

Firefighters work in a destroyed apartment building after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A NATO press release indicated that Rutte was slated to participate in a virtual Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on Monday.

“Last week, President Trump announced a new plan for large scale NATO weapons transfers and committed to getting these ‘quickly distributed to the battlefield,'” UK Defense Secretary John Healey MP was expected to say, in part, when opening the meeting, according to a UK government press release. “The UK government backs this policy, and we will play our full part in its success to bolster Ukraine’s immediate fight and to support our own and wider European security.”

TRUMP SAYS US WILL SEND PATRIOT MISSILES TO UKRAINE, ADDS THAT PUTIN ‘TALKS NICE AND THEN HE BOMBS EVERYBODY’

An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 21, 2025.  (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Russia’s Defense Ministry indicated that its forces downed 74 Ukrainian drones overnight, The Associated Press reported.