Zelenskyy Courts Canada for Expanded Military Support Ahead of Winter

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Canada on Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Mark Carney, marking his latest international push to secure sustained military backing for Kyiv’s war effort against Russia.

Ukraine is increasingly squeezed by Russia’s aerial offensive, which has used ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to overwhelm defenses. Moscow has ramped up attacks on Ukraine’s power grid ahead of winter as part of a campaign to erode civilian morale, Ukrainian officials say.

Recent U.S. diplomatic initiatives have yet to produce a significant breakthrough in ending the more than four-year conflict, though Washington-brokered talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations are expected to continue.

“The main focus will be on supporting Ukraine in protecting our skies and preparing for the winter,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media regarding his Canada trip. “We will discuss how to strengthen our resilience, support our people, and ensure that Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself.”

Zelenskyy reached Calgary, Alberta, on Wednesday night, a day after his flight from Moldova to Norway was delayed when Moldovan authorities closed the airspace because of a drone incursion.

The drone battle between Russia and Ukraine has intensified since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, and Ukraine’s neighbors Romania and Moldova have reported repeated drone incursions.

A Ukrainian sea drone struck the waterfront in the Russian city of Sochi, wounding 28 people including two children, local officials said. They reported damage to beach infrastructure but provided no further details.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Thursday that its forces shot down 448 Ukrainian drones overnight. The drones were destroyed over 13 Russian regions, the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, and the Black and Caspian seas, the ministry said.

Falling debris from a Ukrainian drone set fire to a home in Russia’s southwestern Voronezh region, killing one woman and wounding two other people, local Gov. Alexander Gusev said Thursday.

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