Russia launched its largest-ever drone and missile attack on Ukraine on Friday night, just hours after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without any progress in stopping the war.
People in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, heard loud explosions and the sound of drones in the sky as Ukrainian air defence systems worked to shoot them down.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that air raid sirens began sounding across the country shortly after news of the Trump-Putin call came out. He said, “Once again, Russia is showing that it has no plans to stop this war and terror.” Zelensky called for stronger action from the United States, saying that Russia won’t change its harmful behavior without more pressure.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 23 people were injured in the attack, which included 539 drones and 11 missiles. A Ukrainian air force official said this was the biggest attack since the war began.
‘Putin Shows No Respect’
Russia’s night attacks on Ukraine have increased recently. In fact, June saw the highest number of drone and missile attacks so far, according to a count by AFP news.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that this attack shows Putin’s complete disregard for the US and other nations calling for peace.
In Kyiv, many residents were seen hiding in underground metro stations for safety.
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Meanwhile, Ukraine is growing more concerned about the reduced military aid from the US, which plays a crucial role in defending the country from such attacks. The EU’s top leader, Ursula von der Leyen, said that this is a sign Europe needs to do more to support Ukraine.
President Trump, who usually sounded hopeful after speaking to Putin, gave a much more negative report this time, expressing frustration with the Russian president.
At the same time, Ukraine has also increased its own drone strikes on Russia. In one such attack, a Ukrainian drone hit an apartment building in Russia, killing a woman, according to local officials.
