Russian strikes trigger diplomatic responses as Western powers expand Ukrainian missile support

Russian air strikes across Ukraine have left at least 15 people dead and 130 injured at a Kryvyi Rih shopping center, alongside widespread damage reported in Kyiv, Odesa, and Chernihiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to help stop the war, while European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas remarked that the assault "shows the depravity of Russia."

In response, Ukrainian forces launched strikes against a major Lukoil oil refinery inside Russia. On the defense front, the United Kingdom and France authorized the local production of Scalp cruise missiles within Ukraine. Meanwhile, Italy confirmed it will abstain from multinational military maneuvers planned for October, reiterating its opposition to sending troops. In Moscow, officials stated that negotiations over a prospective prisoner exchange remain ongoing.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.