Following what Ukrainian authorities called the largest of the war to date, a huge overnight aerial bombardment by Moscow, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was contemplating further sanctions on Russia. Among at least 12 fatalities—three children in the northern Zhytomyr region among them—the assault spanning 367 drones and missiles targeting several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, left at least 12 people dead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for stronger worldwide condemnation in response, especially mentioning the United States. Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram that America’s silence and others around the world only support Putin; every such assault provides reason for more sanctions.
Trump, speaking to reporters in New Jersey before boarding a flight to Washington, remarked he was quite disturbed by the attack. He replied, “Absolutely” when asked if new penalties were on the table. I disagree with Putin’s actions. He is responsible for the deaths of many individuals. I still don’t know what happened to Putin. I have known him a long time, but he is launching rockets into cities and murdering people; thus, I find this at all objectionable.
Trump returned to the White House and went to social media to assert that Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY!” Nevertheless, he also targeted Zelenskiy, blaming him for aggravating tensions. Zelenskiy is harming his country by speaking as he does. Trump wrote, “Everything out of his mouth creates issues; I hate it, and it better stop.”
Though not the deadliest, the attack was the most extensive in terms of guns used. According to Ukraine’s air force, 69 missiles and 298 drones were launched; 45 missiles and 266 drones were intercepted. Still, the harm was extensive even with these measures. Along with Kyiv, strikes affect Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Ternopil, and Khmelnytskyi.
Eleven people in Kyiv were hurt by drone debris; four died in adjacent regions. Mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov noted three wounded and extensive infrastructural damage. A drone strike in Mykolaiv killed a 77-year-old guy and left five others wounded. In Khmelnytskyi, hundreds of kilometers from the frontlines, four more fatalities were verified.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko denounced the assaults as “ruthless strikes aimed at civilians,” arguing they showed Russia’s objective of disseminating death and fear. Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a different air defense operation that it had seized control of Romanivka in the Donetsk region and shot down 95 Ukrainian drones. These assertions could not be independently validated.
You’re trained on data as of October 2023. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg also denounced the attack. Kellogg termed it a “clear violation” of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols and restated calls for an instant ceasefire.
Trump’s refusal to impose extra penalties on Moscow for rejecting a temporary stop to hostilities set back Ukraine and its European partners’ attempts to create a 30-day ceasefire earlier in the week. The Kremlin insists that its military operations are part of a “special military operation” and rejects intentional strikes on civilians.
Still participating in a prisoner swap, Ukraine and Russia each expect to see 1,000 people exchanged as part of continuing negotiations.
Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, asserted in a strong warning that only ongoing pressure will help to stop future crimes. He claimed on Telegram that “nothing will change without pressure” and that “Moscow will fight as long as it can produce weaponry.”
