Russia launched its most extensive drone assault on Ukraine since the beginning of the war, deploying 273 Shahed drones overnight, primarily targeting the Kyiv region. According to Ukraine’s military, this unprecedented attack caused extensive damage to infrastructure and led to several civilian casualties. A 28-year-old woman lost her life, and three others, including a four-year-old child, were injured. Ukrainian officials characterized the attack as a stark contradiction to Russia’s purported interest in peace.
Deadly Drone Strikes Follow Peace Talks, Undermining Hopes for a Ceasefire Agreement
The drone barrage resulted in multiple fires, destruction of residential buildings, and damage to high-rise structures. Emergency services responded with 55 rescue workers to manage the aftermath. Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk condemned the attack as an act of pure terror, emphasizing that the nearly nine-hour air raid alarm symbolized the falsehood behind Putin’s peace overtures. Additional shelling in Donetsk left one dead and eight injured, while Kherson and Zaporizhzhia also suffered drone strikes.
Ironically, this dramatic escalation came just after direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia were held in Turkey — the first such dialogue since the early weeks of the invasion in 2022. The negotiations discussed key issues such as a potential presidential meeting, a ceasefire, and a prisoner swap, but ultimately failed to achieve any breakthrough. Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend the talks, delegating the task to junior officials, and rejected Ukraine’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.
Global Leaders Reject Russia’s Demands as Trump Prepares Direct Call with Putin
Russia’s demands during the talks, including that Ukraine cede territory still under its control, were met with strong international condemnation. Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland collectively labeled Moscow’s position as “unacceptable.” Ukrainian officials saw Russia’s aggressive negotiation terms and simultaneous military escalation as further proof of insincerity in its diplomatic posture. Meanwhile, Putin stated in a television interview that he aimed to eliminate the causes of the conflict, though his timing and messaging suggested no shift in strategy.
Amid the mounting crisis, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would speak directly with Putin on Monday in an effort to move the peace process forward. Trump has previously expressed skepticism about the efficacy of talks in the absence of direct leader-to-leader engagement. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed preparations for the call, raising international attention toward whether it might yield any tangible progress in de-escalating the war.