Zelenskyy Visits Serbia as Russian Strikes Hit Kyiv

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conducted his first official visit to Belgrade on August 8, 2026, meeting with President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Djuro Macut. Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine faces a critical winter with nearly no intact thermal power plants due to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. He urged the international community to implement tougher sanctions to block missile components from reaching Russia and requested additional US-made Patriot interceptors.

While President Vucic reaffirmed support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence, he declined to impose sanctions on Russia, citing historic and economic ties. Vucic stated that the leaders did not discuss military cooperation, though they expressed a goal to finalize a free trade agreement by the end of the year.

The diplomatic visit coincided with a wave of Russian attacks. Ballistic missiles and drones struck the Kyiv region, killing at least four people, including a three-year-old boy and two grandparents in the Brovary district. Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported strikes on port infrastructure and vessels in Odesa and Mykolaiv, targeting electronic warfare equipment and weapons warehouses. In response, Ukrainian drone strikes targeted the Ilsky Oil Refinery in Russia's Krasnodar region, wounding six people.