Ukraine's defense minister was seen smiling upon arrival in England as his country picked up the pieces from a devastating missile attack that killed dozens.
Rustem Umerov was in London on Tuesday to meet with U.K. officials and drum up further support for the war effort.
A warm welcome to Ukraine's Defence Minister @rustem_umerov as he visits London today. 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/5WDdQVNZAt
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) September 3, 2024
He met with Defense Secretary John Healey to discuss ongoing aid.
It came as a Russian attack on a military education facility and a nearby hospital in Ukraine killed at least 41 and wounded another 180.
President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to hold "Russian scum" accountable for the attack on a military education facility and nearby hospital.
The strike triggered anger on Ukrainian social media after unconfirmed reports said it had targeted an outdoor military ceremony, with many blaming reckless behavior from officials who allowed the event to take place despite the threat of Russian attacks.
Zelensky said he had ordered a "full and prompt investigation into all the circumstances of what happened."
Umerov continued his visit to London despite the attack.
U.K. officials say Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway have committed to invest additional money to purchase more drones to help Ukraine on the frontline, as well as vital air defense capabilities to help shield Ukrainians and key infrastructure from relentless Russian bombardment.
"Our government is stepping up Britain's support for Ukraine to fight Putin's illegal invasion," Defense Secretary John Healey. "We are speeding up deliveries of aid, with a much-needed ammunition package announced by the Prime Minister at NATO set to begin deliveries within months. We will continue to step up our support to help Ukraine achieve victory."
