Russia Rains Missiles On Ukraine As NATO Readies To Discuss Military Aid

Russia mounted its largest missile attack on Ukraine in months on Monday, hitting a children's hospital in Kyiv and other sites across the country, in an attack that killed at least 33 people and injured more than 100 people, according to Ukrainian officials. 

The early-morning attack consisted of more than 40 missiles aimed at at least five cities across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Wall Street Journal reported.

At least two people were killed at Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital when a missile hit the dialysis ward and caused heavy damage to the medical facility. Rescue workers were searching for people under the rubble into Monday afternoon.

Also Read: Ukraine Has Right To ‘Fire Back’ At Russia With U.S.-Provided Munitions As Kremlin Seeks Talks With White House

The strikes happened on the day before the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Washington. NATO is expected to discuss multiple measures, such as $40 billion in aid to Ukraine’s military, that are intended to show long-term help to Kyiv but exclude offering NATO membership.

Ukraine has long wanted to join the alliance as it complains about the slow delivery of air defenses and munitions from the West. Kyiv is worried a right-wing political uprise across Europe and Donald Trump possibly returning to the White House may further diminish the delivery of armaments from the U.S. and other NATO countries, according to Bloomberg.

Price Action: U.S. missile manufacturers that have supplied munitions to Ukraine have not moved much as of Monday’s mid-afternoon trading. Northrup Grumman Corp (NYSE:NOC) declined 0.51% to $432.51, while RTX Corp (NYSE:RTX) ticked uo 0.35% to $100.72. Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:LMT) has remained unchanged at $462.18.

Aerospace and defense exchange-traded funds also remained relatively flat into Monday afternoon. iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (BATS:ITA) inched up 0.40% and Invesco Aersospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:PPA) slipped 0.50%. SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:XAR) picked up 0.63% in mid-day trading.

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Photo: Hamara via Shutterstock

Andriy Yermak, Zelensky