Russia-Ukraine war live: US state department calls on Congress to ‘act swiftly’ to resume flow of aid to Kyiv

Statement was made after the US government announced $250m of new weapons for Ukraine

• What we know on day 673 of the war

Ukraine’s air defence systems shot down seven out of eight Russia-launched Shahed drones overnight, the country’s air force said on Thursday.

Drones were downed in three central and southern regions, the air force said on the Telegram messenger,” according to a report by Reuters. It was not clear whether the drone that was not shot down reached its target.

They had lived calmly and in peace and suddenly ended up between Russia and NATO as a member of that alliance, but since they are our neighbours, if, God forbid there is some escalation, they will be the first to suffer.