Zelensky announces NASAMS missile delivery, new air-defense talks with partners
In his evening address on September 29, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had received a new package of missiles for its NASAMS air defense systems and is preparing fresh talks with partners this week on air defense, including Patriot interceptors. He also reported more than 100 drones launched against Ukraine since the morning, including jet-powered drones, with air defense shooting down most Shaheds and 18 of 29 jet munitions by 6 p.m.
Key points
- Ukraine received a new package of NASAMS missiles, described by Zelensky as a "very good package."
- Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing new negotiations with partners this week on air defense and further support, including Patriot interceptors.
- Since the morning of September 29, Russia launched more than 100 drones against Ukraine.
- As of 6 p.m. on September 29, 29 jet-powered drones were recorded, with 18 shot down; air defense neutralized 95 of 112 drones during the day.
- Overnight, Kyiv was struck by ballistic missiles and drones; Ukrainian air defense said ballistic missiles were also intercepted.
- Russian forces hit a residential area in Sumy with four aerial bombs, killing one person; a school was struck but children and teachers sheltering there were not injured.
- Belgium will provide Ukraine a first batch of three F-16 fighter jets in 2026, Zelensky said, to help shoot down Shahed drones.
Why it matters
Air defense supplies and partner talks are central to Ukraine's ability to withstand Russia's intensified missile and drone campaign against cities and infrastructure. The NASAMS missile delivery is a concrete, near-term boost to Ukraine's air defense stockpile, while the ongoing Patriot negotiations address a stated shortfall in interceptors.
What happened
In an evening video address on September 29, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine had received a new package of missiles for its NASAMS air defense systems, calling it a "very good package." He said Ukraine is preparing new negotiations with partners during the week on air defense and further support, including talks on obtaining missiles for Patriot systems. Zelensky reported that since the morning of September 29, Russia had launched more than 100 drones against Ukraine; by 6 p.m., 29 jet-powered drones had been recorded and 18 of them shot down, while air defense overall neutralized 95 of 112 drones during the day and intercepted ballistic missiles during the overnight strike on Kyiv. He also described a Russian strike on a residential area of Sumy with four aerial bombs — one killing a person in a residential building, another hitting a school where children and teachers were sheltering with no casualties — as "absolutely vile." Zelensky added that Belgium would deliver a first batch of three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in 2026 to help shoot down Shahed drones.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All six supplied sources are Ukrainian outlets and agencies (LIGA.net, LB.ua, Suspilne, Interfax-Ukraine, Ukrinform, NV). They consistently frame Zelensky as the central speaker announcing both the NASAMS delivery and the upcoming air-defense talks, and they pair those announcements with details of the day's Russian drone and missile campaign, including the Sumy strike on a residential building and a school and the overnight attack on Kyiv. Ukrainian coverage highlights specific air-defense items — NASAMS missiles, Patriot interceptor talks, the jet-drone threat, and interceptor-drone development — and uses Zelensky's own descriptors, including "very good package" and "absolutely vile" for the Sumy strike.
Background
Missiles for Patriot systems are reported to be in shortage, with domestic production in Ukraine described as a lengthy process. Russia has increasingly used jet-powered drones in recent months, which are harder for air defense to shoot down; Ukraine says it is working on interceptor drones to counter them. Belgium has decided to provide three F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, with a first batch due in 2026. On the day of the address, Russian forces struck a residential area in Sumy with four aerial bombs, killing one person, and conducted an overnight strike on Kyiv involving ballistic missiles and drones.