A dense cloud of smoke enveloped Kyiv on Friday following a night marked by intense Russian assaults that targeted nearly every part of the Ukrainian capital, leaving 23 people injured, according to local authorities. The night resonated with the sounds of anti-aircraft fire, drones, and fierce explosions. Ukraine reported that Russia launched an unprecedented assault with 550 drones and 11 missiles. These attacks occurred shortly after a conversation between former US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump expressed his “disappointment” that Putin wasn’t ready to halt the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian government insists the conflict will persist until all its goals are achieved. Ukraine’s air force announced that the recent strikes set a new record, with 72 out of the 550 drones evading air defenses, surpassing a previous high of 537 drones the previous Saturday. Sirens blared for over eight hours as waves of attacks hit Kyiv, cited as the “primary target,” according to the air force on Telegram.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, labeled the attack as one of the most “brazen” and “cynical” episodes of the conflict, calling it a “harsh, sleepless night.” He noted that the attack followed Putin’s discussion with Trump and reiterated that Russia remained unwilling to cease hostilities. Zelensky urged global allies, particularly the United States, to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions. Videos shared by Ukraine’s emergency services depicted firefighters combating blazes in Kyiv after the widespread assault. Ukrainian authorities reported damage to railway infrastructure, while schools, facilities, and vehicles were set alight throughout the city.
Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, confirmed damage to the Polish consulate as well. In addition to Kyiv, the regions of Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Chernihiv were also targeted. Russia’s defense ministry stated that the extensive strike was in retaliation for “terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime.” In Russia’s Rostov region, a woman was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian drone attack near the border on Friday. These latest hostilities coincide with a period of increased Russian air assaults on Ukraine, escalating amid stalled ceasefire negotiations.
The conflict in Ukraine has persisted for over three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. After his Thursday conversation with Putin, Trump remarked that “no progress” had been achieved toward resolving the fighting, expressing disappointment with the discussion. The Kremlin reaffirmed its determination to address “the root causes of the war in Ukraine.” Putin has aimed to reestablish Ukraine as part of Russia’s sphere of influence and recently asserted ownership over “the whole of Ukraine.” Responding to Trump’s remarks, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated to the BBC that unless Russia’s objectives could be secured diplomatically, “we are continuing our Special Military Operation,” the term Russia prefers for the invasion. Meanwhile, President Zelensky expressed his intention to discuss with Trump the US decision to pause certain weapons shipments crucial for Ukraine’s air defense.
Kyiv cautioned that this halt could impair its capacity to fend off increased air assaults and Russian offenses. Trump assured reporters that weapons are still being supplied but criticized former President Joe Biden for depleting US armaments to support Ukraine, emphasizing the need to maintain the United States’ defense capabilities.
