Russia's War with Ukraine. Day 1229

Russian air defenses reportedly shot down four drones approaching Moscow, prompting a temporary suspension of flights at Sheremetyevo Airport, the capital's main international airport. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said emergency services had been called to the site of the downed drones, but did not provide any details about damage or casualties.

According to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, China could persuade Russia to attack NATO territory. Rutte believes that if Chinese leader Xi Jinping decides to attack Taiwan, he will first call his partner, Vladimir Putin, to distract NATO.

- He will tell him (Putin – ed.): "Hey, I'm going to do this and I need you to distract them in Europe by attacking NATO territory." That's most likely what will happen. To stop them, we have to do two things. First, NATO has to be strong enough that the Russians would never dare to do this. Second, we have to cooperate with the Indo-Pacific region – this is something that President Trump is very actively promoting, he said.

A 46-year-old woman was injured in a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv. A two-year-old girl was among those who needed help.

US Special Representative for Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his expressions of sympathy for the victims of the floods in Texas.

"Good. This is classic Donald Trump. Always willing to cooperate. I also thank President Zelensky for his condolences for the tragic flood victims in Texas, especially the young people. Both presidents understand the pain of losing young people in peace and war. Compassion is a key element of leadership," he wrote on X.