In an overnight assault, Kyiv was subjected to a relentless onslaught of missiles and drones by Russia, mere hours following a conversation between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
The American president conceded that he was unable to make any significant progress with his Russian counterpart during their discussion.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the air raid alerts, which lasted for over eight hours, were triggered by a total of 539 drones and 11 missiles launched by Russia. This devastating bombardment resulted in at least 23 injuries, significant damage to railway infrastructure, and ignited fires in buildings and vehicles across the city. The authorities in the Ukrainian capital confirmed these details early this morning, while rescue operations continue in search of potential casualties.
President Trump, who was previously buoyant after the passage of the Republican party's so-called Big, Beautiful Bill by Congress, was brought down a notch by reporters questioning the efficacy of his hour-long call with Putin. "We had a call. It was a pretty long call. We talked about a lot of things, including Iran, and we also talked about, as you know, the war with Ukraine. And I'm not happy about that," Trump stated. He further admitted, "I didn't make any progress with him today at all."
As reported by the Daily Mail, the Kremlin, shortly after the call ended, reiterated its commitment to addressing the 'root causes' of the conflict. This was followed by a night-long assault on Ukraine with missiles and drones. This development comes on the heels of the White House's announcement of a suspension of arms deliveries to Ukraine, a move that Kyiv warns would undermine its defense capabilities against airstrikes and battlefield advances.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his intention to discuss the resumption of military aid with Trump. Earlier this week, the White House decided to halt some key weapons shipments to Ukraine that were promised under the Biden administration, a decision that dealt a significant blow to Kyiv. "This decision was made to put America's interests first following a DOD (Department of Defense) review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe," White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly stated on Tuesday.
The specifics of the restricted arms were not disclosed by Washington, but it is believed that missiles for Patriot air defense systems, precision artillery, and Hellfire missiles are among the withheld items. These air defense systems are crucial for Kyiv to counter the almost nightly aerial attacks by Moscow.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense claimed that it had not received any official notification from the US regarding either a suspension or revision of deliveries. Zelensky is expected to speak directly with Trump later today to clarify the situation. The Foreign Ministry warned that 'any delay' would only 'encourage' Russia to continue the war. "Ukraine must be given all the necessary means for self-defense. Wrong decisions can only push the aggressor to escalate terror," Foreign Minister Andrei Sybiha stated.
Contrarily, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov opined, "The fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation."
The overnight attacks are the latest in a series of Russian air strikes on Kyiv that have escalated in recent weeks, resulting in some of the deadliest assaults on the city of three million people. "The main target of the strikes was the capital of Ukraine, the city of Kyiv!" the Air Force declared on the Telegram messaging app.
Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on Telegram that fourteen of the 23 people injured in the attacks were seriously hurt and hospitalized. Damage was recorded in six of Kyiv's 10 districts on both sides of the Dnipro River bisecting the city, and falling drone debris ignited a medical facility in the leafy Holosiivskyi district.
Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine's state-owned railway and the country's largest carrier, reported on Telegram that the attack on Kyiv damaged railway infrastructure in the city, causing diversions of passenger trains and delays. Social media videos depicted people seeking shelter, firefighters battling blazes in the dark, and buildings with blown-out windows and facades.
Ukraine's Air Force reported that it had destroyed 478 of the air weapons Russia launched overnight, but enemy airstrikes were recorded in eight locations across the country with nine missiles and 63 drones.
In a retaliatory move, Ukraine launched a drone strike on Moscow that targeted a power plant supplying the secretive Research Institute of Applied Chemistry, a manufacturer of 'pyrotechnic products' for Putin's military.
Fire and smoke were observed rising from the site of the strike in Sergiyev Posad, near Moscow. Ukraine also targeted the strategic Azov Optical-Mechanical Plant in Russia's Rostov region, a facility that produces high-precision artillery, missile and anti-tank weapons, radar homing heads for tactical guided missiles, and onboard thermal imaging and thermal location equipment.
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