Zelensky declares Ukraine's readiness for successful counteroffensive against Russia.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is confident that the country's counteroffensive against Russia will succeed, despite an "unprecedented" barrage of missile and drone attacks. The deputy defense minister noted that Ukraine's air defense system had been "more than 90 percent effective against the attacks." However, Zelensky admitted that "a large number of soldiers will die" due to Russia's superior air power. He also urged for more Western support, including US-made Patriot missile defense systems. The Ukrainian military said that Mariinka in the Donetsk region was the focus of the fighting, and Ukrainian forces repelled all 14 Russian troops' attacks there.