Ukraine defence minister scraps Germany trip amid Russian attacks

Ukraine's defence minister cancelled a planned trip to Germany on Tuesday due to escalating Russian attacks on Kyiv, his office said.

Yevgeniy Khmara was due to meet his German counterpart Boris Pistorius at a time when Ukraine is pushing for allies to step up military and financial aid to help it fend off Russian drone and missile barrages of the capital.

A Russian drone strike on the historic heart of Kyiv on Monday hit the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences building, killing one person, the latest in a campaign of round-the-clock attacks that has paralysed much of the city.

A source in the defence ministry said Khmara had cancelled trips to both Germany and Norway "due to the situation in Ukraine and intensification of Russian attacks, which requires rapid attention".