ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday claimed that Russia has used 130 different types of missiles on Ukraine since the beginning of March, as the conflict which entered its third year last month rages on.

“Every day and night, Russia uses drones, missiles, and guided bombs ... Since the beginning of March, Russian troops have used 130 different types of missiles, over 320 Shahed drones, and nearly 900 guided aerial bombs,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

He said Ukraine has demonstrated that it is capable of successfully shooting down Russian missiles and drones, as well as destroying Russian military aircraft, but called for more military support.

"However, we require more protection, specifically a fully realistic number of air defense systems that our partners possess. Patriots and other systems must do what they were designed for: protect lives, not collect dust in storage," he said. "And I want to thank everyone in the world who understands this and helps us save lives."

Zelesnkyy’s remarks come ahead of a two-day European Council summit scheduled for March 21-22 to discuss continued support for Ukraine.

The EU says it will continue to provide political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support “for as long as it takes.”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday that the US “will not let Ukraine fail,” as Congress continues to delay critical funding for Ukraine aid.