Russia launched a record-setting drone and missile assault on Ukraine early Wednesday, unleashing 728 drones and 13 missiles in its most extensive aerial barrage since the start of the war, according to Ukraine's Air Force. The attack came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump pledged additional military aid to Kyiv and sharply criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian officials said 718 drones were intercepted. One person was killed by falling drone debris in Khmelnytskyi, and additional injuries were reported in Brovary, near Kyiv. The northwestern city of Lutsk was among the hardest hit, prompting Poland to scramble aircraft as the barrage edged toward NATO territory.
"This is a demonstrative attack, and it comes at a time when there have been so many attempts to achieve peace and cease fire, but Russia rejects everything," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram. "Everyone who wants peace must act."
Ukraine's Air Force described the strike as "the highest number of aerial targets in a single day." Zelensky warned that Russia's intensified attacks prove Moscow is not serious about diplomacy, despite mounting global pressure for a ceasefire.
"This is yet another proof of the need for sanctions - biting sanctions against oil," Zelensky said, adding that secondary sanctions should be imposed on buyers of Russian oil to choke off war financing.
President Trump responded forcefully to the attack, telling reporters, "We're going to send some more weapons. We have to - they have to be able to defend themselves." During a Cabinet meeting, Trump added, "We get a lot of bullsh*t thrown at us by Putin... He's very nice all of the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."
Trump confirmed a reversal of last week's decision to pause some weapons shipments to Kyiv, including Patriot air defense missiles. "Defensive weapons, primarily, but they're getting hit very, very hard," he said. A Pentagon spokesperson added that the shipment was being resumed "at President Trump's direction."
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had not informed Trump before authorizing the pause, according to five sources familiar with the matter. On Tuesday, Trump told reporters he did not know who had issued the hold. "I don't know, why don't you tell me?" he said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine launched 86 drones into Russia overnight, according to Moscow's defense ministry, which claimed to have intercepted all of them, including four over the Moscow region. Russia's transport agency reported temporary flight restrictions at Sheremetyevo Airport in response.
June marked a record month for Russia's aerial campaign against Ukraine, with 5,438 drones and 239 missiles launched, according to Ukrainian military data.
Zelensky said he had instructed his team to "intensify all contacts with the American side," particularly concerning air defense systems. "This is critical aid, on which the saving of lives of our people and the defense of Ukrainian cities and villages depend," he said.
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz also weighed in Wednesday, declaring to lawmakers, "If a criminal regime, with military violence, openly questions the existential right of an entire country... this government, led by me, will do everything in its power to prevent exactly this."
Adding further legal weight to Ukraine's position, Europe's top human rights court ruled Wednesday that Russia had committed a pattern of international law violations since the 2022 invasion. The case was jointly brought by Ukraine and the Netherlands.
