Russia killed two people in an airstrike on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava on Thursday and damaged a military draft office there in what Kyiv said was a concerted campaign to disrupt recruitment for its war effort.

A firefighter works at the site of a building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Poltava, Ukraine. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Poltava region/Handout via REUTERS KYIV (Reuters) -A Russian attack on the city of Poltava in central Ukraine killed two people and damaged a military recruitment centre,

The plant also specialises in the production of Osa air defence systems and has developed drones, according to Ukrainian media. An Ukrainian official confirmed to BBC Ukraine that two long-range drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Kupol plant from a distance of around 1,

When the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) halted the transfer of critical air defense missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, Kyiv and its partners were caught off-guard and are now left scrambling for clarity on the scope and length of the Trump administration's decision.

Russia, which has been sending massive waves of drones and missiles against Ukraine, said the U.S. move would help end the war early.

The Kremlin has repeatedly said arms shipments to Ukraine from allies prolong the conflict Moscow started and raise the risk of escalation. The U.S. confirmed this week it had paused supplying some arms to fight Russian aggression.