Former US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking Moscow and St. Petersburg, according to The Washington Post citing an unnamed source. Though not included in current aid packages, Tomahawks could be deployed later if Trump seeks to escalate pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Post further indicates Washington may authorize Kyiv to use its existing stock of 18 long-range ATACMS missiles at their maximum 300-km range, enabling strikes on military bases, airfields, and supply depots deep inside Russia. Additional ATACMS systems may also be provided.
Battlefield Developments**
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses intercepted or destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions, state news agency TASS reported. The alleged incursions included 32 drones over Belgorod, 12 over Voronezh, six over the Black Sea, and others over Lipetsk, Rostov, and Kursk oblasts.
In eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, a 68-year-old woman was wounded during a Russian drone strike on Prykolotne village, per Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. The attack destroyed two homes and four other buildings. Separately, Russian shelling in southern Kherson killed two civilians and injured 18 over 24 hours, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin announced.
Lavrov-Xi Meeting in Beijing**
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing following a Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting, Russian state media reported. Lavrov previously met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday to discuss Ukraine.
Sweden Vows Continued Arms Support**
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson pledged “rapid and consistent” weapons deliveries to Ukraine via social media, welcoming Trump’s “significant” decision to enable advanced arms transfers. “As one of Ukraine’s largest donors, Sweden will continue contributing supplies alongside NATO allies,” Kristersson stated. “Time is critical: the sooner we unite to force Russia to end its brutal war, the more lives will be saved.”