EU to increase military support for Ukraine in response to Russian missile strikes

The EU expressed its condolences to Ukraine in connection with the tragedy in Poltava, where more than 50 people died and hundreds were injured as a result of a Russian missile attack, and announced its intention to step up the delivery of military support to Ukraine.

The statement of the EU spokesperson was published on the Diplomatic Service of the European Union website, Ukrinform reports.

"It is yet another targeted bloodshed that proves Russia’s determination to continue with its brutal war against Ukraine and its people, trying to cause the highest possible loss of life and inflict large-scale devastation. We share the grief of the families of the victims and stand by the Ukrainian people," the statement reads.

The EU spokesman noted that for the past two and a half years, Russia has been continuously terrorizing Ukraine’s population by waging its illegal war of aggression, with indiscriminate missile and drone attacks across Ukraine’s territory, cowardly aiming mostly at civilian targets.

"This only underlines the need for Ukraine, in accordance with its legitimate right to self-defence under the UN Charter, to be able to fend off effectively such heinous attacks launched from military platforms in Russia and push the aggressor back. The European Union remains committed to stepping up the delivery of military support, including air defence systems and ammunition. These deliveries strengthen Ukrainian self-defence, save innocent lives, and reduce the level of the destruction in Ukraine," the EU spokesman said.

As Ukrinform reported, on September 3, the Russians hit an educational institution and a hospital in Poltava with two ballistic missiles. As a result of the attack, 51 people died and more than 200 were injured.