Trump Frustrated As Russia Escalates Attacks On Ukraine/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Russia launched its biggest aerial attack of the war, unleashing over 500 drones and missiles on Kyiv. President Trump voiced disappointment after a call with Putin yielded no progress. Ukraine reels under bombardment while U.S. weapons shipments remain paused.
Quick Look
Russia’s Largest Air Assault Since Invasion
- Over 550 drones and missiles struck Ukraine overnight
- At least 23 injured amid widespread damage in Kyiv
- Trump “very disappointed” after call with Putin
- U.S. pauses some weapons deliveries to Ukraine
- Ukraine seeks help from European allies for defense
- Russian attacks escalate as front-line pressure grows
- Kyiv residents shelter during seven-hour bombardment
- Prisoner swap announced amid relentless Russian offensive
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault of War on Kyiv as Trump Voices Frustration
Deep Look
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed the biggest wave of missiles and drones since the start of its war on Ukraine, battering Kyiv overnight in a ferocious assault that left at least 23 people injured and sent residents scrambling for shelter through the darkness.
For seven hours, explosions lit up the night sky over the capital as air raid sirens wailed and the blue lights of emergency vehicles flickered off shattered glass and debris-clogged streets. The attack caused widespread damage across multiple districts.
“It was a harsh, sleepless night,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.
The barrage underscores a renewed Russian push to capture more territory and break Ukraine’s resistance. Less than a week ago, Russia had carried out what was, at the time, the largest aerial assault of the war. Now, Moscow has escalated again, both in the skies and on the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukrainian troops are under growing strain.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched a staggering 550 drones and missiles overnight. Most were Shahed drones, but 11 missiles also targeted the country.
Among those affected was Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old wedding photographer whose home was destroyed.
“We were all in the basement shelter because it was so loud; staying home would have been suicidal,” she told The Associated Press. “We went down 10 minutes before, and then there was a loud explosion, and the lights went out in the shelter. People were panicking.”
Trump “Very Disappointed” After Putin Call
The bombardment came on the same day U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone. Zelenskyy suggested the attack was timed deliberately to send a message that Moscow has no intention of ending the conflict.
Trump, who has promised to bring the war to a swift end, admitted his latest conversation with Putin yielded no progress.
“No, I didn’t make any progress with him today at all,” Trump told reporters. “I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin because I don’t think he’s there. I don’t think he’s looking to stop [the fighting], and that’s too bad.”
Putin, according to his foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, reiterated Russia’s determination to achieve its objectives in Ukraine and address what Moscow calls the “root causes” of the conflict. Ushakov said Russia “will not back down from these goals.”
Battlefield Pressures and Weapons Shortages
The brutal aerial campaign comes amid fresh challenges for Ukraine’s defenses. The Pentagon has paused shipments of some military aid, including vital air defense missiles, raising concerns in Kyiv about how to protect its skies from future attacks.
Ukraine’s European allies are discussing how to help fill the gap. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said efforts are underway to expand Ukraine’s own weapons manufacturing capacity, but ramping up production will take time.
Data reviewed by The Associated Press indicates Russia launched a record 5,438 drones at Ukraine in June alone, alongside more than 330 missiles—nearly 80 of them ballistic missiles.
During the overnight assault, AP reporters in Kyiv heard the constant buzz of drones overhead, punctuated by machine gun fire and explosions as Ukrainian air defenses attempted to intercept the onslaught.
“Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv,” wrote Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X (formerly Twitter). “One of the worst so far.”
Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described scenes of “families running into metro stations, basements, underground parking garages, mass destruction in the heart of our capital.”
Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as “cynical,” while Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces were targeting factories in Kyiv that produce drones and military equipment.
Kyiv and Beyond Under Attack
In Kyiv alone, at least 14 people were hospitalized. Debris from intercepted drones fell across at least 33 sites in the city, causing damage in at least five of Kyiv’s 10 districts.
Russia’s overnight strikes reached beyond the capital, damaging the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Kyiv regions. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 270 aerial targets, including two cruise missiles, while 208 others disappeared from radar, likely jammed.
Despite the scale of destruction, Ukraine reported a new prisoner swap on Friday, with soldiers released on both sides, though neither government provided exact numbers. Zelenskyy said many of the returned Ukrainians had been held by Russia since 2022 and were classified as “wounded and seriously ill.”
As the war grinds toward its fourth year, hopes for a negotiated peace remain dim. Trump said he plans to speak directly with Zelenskyy in the coming days, but no breakthrough appears imminent.
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