Ukraine is in talks with Raytheon to produce Patriot systems: Zelenskyy

Far-right US blogger Laura Loomer, who previously amplified Moscow’s propaganda to her millions of followers, visited a McDonald’s in Kyiv hit by Russia.

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was in talks with US defence company Raytheon to jointly produce Patriot air defence interceptors, as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its ability to counter Russia's ballistic missile attacks.

Zelenskyy said he met Raytheon representatives in Kyiv on Thursday, less than three weeks after US Presi­dent Donald Trump pledged to grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot systems.

“Our teams, both at the government level and from the private sector, will stay in close contact to work it out,” Zelenskyy said. Raytheon did not immediately comment.

In another sign of improving ties with Washington, far-right US activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer met Zelenskyy in Kyiv and interviewed him for her show on the social media platform Rumble. Loomer, who had long opposed US support for Ukraine and echoed Russian narratives, recently said she had been wrong to repeat Russian propaganda. Trump shared a preview of the interview on Truth Social, calling it “very good!”

Meanwhile, both sides continued to exchange attacks.

Ukraine struck logistical facilities belonging to Wild­berries, Russia's largest online retailer, in St Petersburg, the neighbouring Leningrad region and Simferopol in illegally annexed Crimea, founder Tatyana Kim said. Kyiv had targeted four other Wildberries warehouses earlier this week, triggering large fires.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainian long-range weapons hit an oil facility nearly 1,350 km from the border and a military plant inside Russia. The Russian Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 571 Ukrainian drones overnight.

At least 17 people were killed in the latest attacks. Zelenskyy said a Russian missile strike on the Kyiv region killed six people and woun­d­ed dozens. Separately, Donet­sk regional Governor Vadym Filashkin said five people were killed and nine injured after Russian forces dropped two aviation bombs on Slovi­ansk. Russian officials said Ukrain­ian attacks on the Kir­ov region killed six people.

—Agencies