Ukraine updates: Kyiv reports Russian drone attacks

Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, with drones overnight, city officials said Friday.

"After a 25-day lull, the capital of Ukraine suffered another air attack from the enemy," Kyiv's military administration said on Telegram messenger. The Ukrainian air force said Russia launched up to 12 Iranian-made Shahed attack drones from the Bryansk region bordering Ukraine.

It added that eight of the drones were destroyed.

Ukrainian authorities said there were also drone attacks on two other places — in central western Vinnytsia and the central Poltava region — targeting critical and civilian infrastructure. But, they added, there were no casualties. Here are some of the other notable developments concerning Russia's war in Ukraine on Friday, April 21:

Germany says not the right time to talk Ukraine's entry into NATO

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said it's not the right time for the NATO military alliance to decide on Ukraine's membership. "The door is open a crack, but this is not the time to decide that now," Pistorius said on a talk show Thursday night, adding that the option couldn't be seriously discussed as the war rages.

"The door is open a crack, but this is not the time to decide that now," Pistorius said on a talk show Thursday night, adding that the option couldn't be seriously discussed as the war rages.

The minister said NATO must "carefully" weigh any step towards including Ukraine in the alliance.

"You have to decide with a cool head and a hot heart and not vice versa," he said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday that NATO members agreed that Ukraine should eventually join the alliance.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the Ukraine defense contact group at the US military Ramstein air base in Germany, he said the main focus, however, was ensuring the country could defend itself against Russia.

Germany to discuss Patriot deployments in Poland, Slovakia

Germany wants to discuss with its allies on Friday the deployment of Patriot air defense units in Slovakia and Poland, according to a spokesperson for the German Defense Ministry.

A report by Funke media group had earlier said that Germany intended to move its Patriot air defense units out of the two countries later this year, as the Bundeswehr seeks to optimize its limited military resources.

A report by Funke media group had earlier said that Germany intended to move its Patriot air defense units out of the two countries later this year, as the Bundeswehr seeks to optimize its limited military resources.

The report said the deployment of Patriot missile defense systems in Poland would end by June, while the one in Slovakia will be phased out by the end of the year. In January, Germany deployed the Patriot missile defense systems to Poland after a missile attack on Polish soil in November, in an effort to help secure its airspace. In January, Germany deployed the Patriot missile defense systems to Poland after a missile attack on Polish soil in November, in an effort to help secure its airspace.

Germany deployed the Patriot system to Slovakia in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Germany now plans to provide Slovakia with two Mantis air defense systems by October to bolster NATO's eastern flank defense.

Russian warplane accidentally fires on border city Belgorod

A Russian warplane accidentally fired on the city of Belgorod, according to Moscow and regional authorities.

The city is located in western Russia, near the country's border with Ukraine.

Belgorod regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said the incident caused an explosion that left a large crater in the center of the city and damaged buildings.

Two women were injured in the incident.

Belgorod Mayor Valentin Demidov said residents of damaged buildings would be temporarily moved to hotels.

Russia's Defense Ministry said a Su-34 fighter jet was flying over the city when an "unplanned launch of ammunition occurred."

Investigations are underway into the incident.

Zelenskyy decries 'populism' of neutral countries

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused world leaders who have adopted postures of neutrality toward Russia of "populism."

The Ukrainian leader made the comments in a video link before a committee of Mexican lawmakers.

"There are some leaders who have not visited Ukraine once and who have not seen what the brutal Russian aggression brought and why it is important to defend lives," Zelenskyy said.

"Simply seeking to achieve some sort of populism, they say things like Ukraine is supposedly not ready to go for peace," he said.

Zelenskyy criticized "different companies and big multinational firms that want to make millions by trading with Russia."

"Unfortunately, the world is full of hypocrisy," he declared.

Mexico voted in the UN General Assembly in favor of condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but it has not imposed sanctions on Moscow.

In 2022, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador criticized NATO support for Ukraine, saying that it meant, "I'll supply the weapons, you supply the dead." He went on to call the policy of arming Ukraine "immoral."

"How easy it is to say, 'Here, I'll send you this much money for weapons,'" Lopez Obrador said. "Couldn't the war in Ukraine have been avoided? Of course it could have."

sdi/sms (dpa, AFP, AP, Reuters)