Air defense has been activated in Kyiv amid reports of airstrikes targeting Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine, ABC News confirmed.

Russia bombarded Ukraine’s second-largest city with massive strikes in the early hours of Saturday, its mayor said, one night after Moscow carried out one of the war’s largest aerial assaults on Ukraine.

China said on Saturday it was willing to accelerate the examination and approval of rare earth exports to European Union firms.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia struck Ukraine with a thunderous aerial bombardment overnight, further dampening hopes that the warring sides could reach a peace deal anytime soon days after Kyiv embarrassed the Kremlin with a surprising drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia.

The Pentagon notified Congress last week that it will be diverting critical anti-drone technology that had been allocated for Ukraine to US Air Force units in the Middle East, according to correspondence obtained by CNN and people familiar with the matter.

During a visit by the German leader, President Trump essentially threw up his hands, saying that there was nothing the United States could do right now to end the war.

The move underscores the Trump administration’s waning commitment to providing military aid to Kyiv.

Ukraine’s president wants his Western backers to speed up deliveries of air defense systems to counter Russian missile strikes.