Paris/Kyiv, Nov 19: Ukraine on Monday signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 100 Rafale fighter jets, drones and air defence systems from France over the next decade, a deal President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed as “historic” as Russian strikes continued to pound eastern regions.
Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron signed the preliminary agreement at the Elysée Palace, marking Kyiv’s most ambitious long-term procurement plan since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The document outlines Ukraine’s interest in acquiring a broad range of French-made defence equipment to strengthen its air power and ground-based protection.
“This is a historic deal,” Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference. The French presidency said the package would support Ukraine’s “long-term security” and deepen defence cooperation.
Russian strikes kill civilians, hit energy sites
Hours before the announcement, a Russian missile attack killed a 17-year-old girl and wounded at least nine civilians, including a 16-year-old boy, in the village of Berestyn in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, regional governor Oleg Synehubov said.
Separately, three people were killed in a strike on a residential area in Balakliya, while a kindergarten was destroyed in the attack, Ukraine’s emergency service said. Two more civilians died in a strike on the Dnipropetrovsk region, local officials reported, as drone attacks sparked fires in the city of Dnipro.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-installed head of Russian-controlled parts of the Donetsk region, said an “unprecedented” Ukrainian drone strike overnight damaged two thermal power plants, causing widespread power outages. The claims could not be independently verified. Ukraine has not commented.
Families of deported children raise alarm
In Paris, families of Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia voiced concern that all communication with the minors had been severed.
Darina Repina, guardian to two such children, accused Russian authorities of blocking efforts to secure their return following their transfer in 2022.
Rights groups estimate that thousands of Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territory since the start of the war.
Drone hits Turkish tanker in Odesa region
In southern Ukraine, a drone struck the Turkish-flagged tanker MT Orinda as it unloaded liquefied petroleum gas at Izmail port, setting the vessel ablaze, Turkish maritime authorities said. All 16 crew members were evacuated without injury.
Romania later evacuated two border villages as a precaution after debris from the attack drifted toward its territory.
Trump signals openness on Russia sanctions
In Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was willing to sign legislation imposing sanctions on Russia, provided he retains the final authority over such measures. “It’s OK with me,” Trump told reporters, while Republicans work on a bill targeting countries that continue business with Moscow amid its refusal to negotiate a peace deal.
Poland probes ‘terrorist’ sabotage
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said an explosion along a railway line used for deliveries to Ukraine amounted to an “unprecedented act of sabotage.” Prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation, alleging the blast was carried out on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.
China, Russia vow deeper economic cooperation
In Moscow, Chinese Premier Li Qiang told Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that Beijing was ready to expand cooperation in energy, agriculture and investment. Li said China welcomed more Russian agricultural products and hoped for easier conditions for Chinese companies operating in Russia.
Mishustin said bilateral ties had “proven resilient to external challenges,” as the two countries deepen economic ties despite Western sanctions on Moscow.
