Ukraine Reaches $3.2 Billion Security Agreement with UK

VOA News - Officials in Ukraine say Russia fired dozens of missiles overnight into early Saturday. Reuters quoted local officials as saying air defenses shot down missiles in at least five regions across Ukraine.

No details were given regarding targets that were hit, nor were there any immediate reports of casualties.

Agence France-Presse quoted air force officials as saying the Russian attack included a wide range of weapons, including cruise, ballistic, anti-aircraft missiles and drones.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address Friday that January 12 is a day that "has already entered the history of our state" because Ukraine has a security agreement with Britain "that we have been working on for a long time."

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak traveled to Kyiv Friday to unveil nearly $3.2 billion in new military funding for Ukraine, Britain’s largest annual commitment since Russia invaded the country.

Sunak said he was sending a message to Ukraine on behalf of his nation and Ukraine's allies around the world, that they will never be alone. He said the war in Ukraine is about the nation’s right to defend itself and to be an independent democracy.

"If [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there," Sunak said. He said wavering in support of Ukraine will embolden Putin and his allies in North Korea, Iran, and elsewhere.

Zelenskyy said he also met Friday with the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker.

"We are eagerly awaiting the decision of Congress regarding further support for Ukraine," he said, "support that matters not only to us, but also to every state whose stability depends on the strength of international law." Some members of the U.S. Congress are wavering on the continued support for Ukraine.