Russia launched a massive aerial assault across Ukraine overnight, deploying 400 Iranian-made Shahed drones and a ballistic missile in one of the most extensive drone attacks of the summer, according to Ukraine's Air Force. The assault targeted multiple regions, including Kharkiv, Vinnytsia, Odesa, and President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown of Kryvyi Rih, where Ukrainian officials say energy infrastructure was hit and 15 people were wounded.
The attack marked the most intense bombardment Kryvyi Rih has endured since the beginning of the war, according to Oleksandr Vilkul, the head of the city's military administration. "The most massive attack... since the beginning of the war," Vilkul said, adding that 28 drones and a ballistic missile caused widespread power and water outages. He noted that a 17-year-old boy was critically injured and remains in the hospital.
Ukrainian President Zelensky said on Telegram that Russia's repeated focus on energy infrastructure underscored the need for increased Western air defense support. "Russia does not change its strategy, and to effectively counter this terror we need a systemic strengthening of defences: more air defences, more interceptor [drones], more determination to make Russia feel our response," he said.
According to Ukraine's Air Force, 345 drones were intercepted or neutralized, but 12 targets were struck by the remaining 57 drones and the lone missile. Kharkiv saw 16 explosions in 14 minutes, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, while three people were injured in a 20-minute drone barrage. In Vinnytsia, eight people were wounded and two infrastructure facilities caught fire.
The latest wave of attacks came days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new weapons package for Ukraine that includes Patriot missile systems via NATO. Trump, who has previously expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, appeared visibly frustrated by Moscow's continued aggression. "My conversations with him are very pleasant, and then the missiles go off at night," Trump said this week. "He fooled Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden-he didn't fool me."
Trump also warned of potential "secondary tariffs" against countries buying Russian oil, signaling a shift toward stronger economic pressure on the Kremlin. His remarks drew a sharp response from Moscow. "The statements of the US president are very serious," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said during a briefing. "If and when President Putin deems it necessary, he will definitely comment on it."
Peskov accused Washington and NATO of fueling continued conflict. "Such decisions... are perceived by the Ukrainian side not as a signal for peace, but as a signal to continue the conflict," he said.
European officials welcomed Trump's renewed commitment to Ukraine. "In order to have peace, we need to support Ukraine, and we need to put the pressure on Russia," said Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign affairs chief. "I also hope that Americans will move also with their sanctions package or tariffs, so that pressure is on Russia to really stop this war."
