Russia Unleashes Deadliest Drone Barrage on Kyiv After Trump-Putin Call Falls Flat

Russia launched the largest drone assault of the war on Ukraine’s capital overnight, killing one civilian and injuring at least 23 others—just hours after a call between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended with no diplomatic breakthrough.

According to Ukrainian officials, 539 drones and 11 missiles were launched across Ukraine, with Kyiv bearing the brunt of the attack. The overnight blitz filled the sky with the sound of whirring kamikaze drones, air raid sirens, and thunderous explosions, stretching from sunset to sunrise.

Civilians took shelter in underground metro stations as acrid smoke blanketed the capital. Over 40 residential buildings, multiple schools, kindergartens, cafes, and rail infrastructure were damaged across six of Kyiv’s ten districts.

“I woke up to the sound of buzzing, then explosions. People outside were screaming,” said Maria Hilchenko, a 40-year-old Kyiv resident.
 “The drones just kept coming.”

Authorities confirmed that one body was recovered from a drone strike site Friday afternoon. Emotional scenes played out as residents surveyed debris-strewn streets and shattered buildings.

Timing Sparks Global Attention

The timing of the attack — just hours after Trump’s phone call with Putin — raised eyebrows globally. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the first air raid sirens blared as news of the Trump-Putin call emerged.

Zelenskiy later spoke directly with Trump, discussing the urgent need for enhanced air defense, joint arms production, and strategic investment in Ukraine’s defense infrastructure. The U.S. has recently paused some missile shipments due to supply concerns, prompting warnings from Kyiv about a weakening defense posture.

Poland reported minor damage to the consular wing of its embassy in central Kyiv, while China’s consulate in Odesa was also hit in a separate strike. Ukrainian officials claimed a Chinese-made component was found in a downed Iranian-designed Shahed drone, now mass-produced in Russia.

“Massive and Cynical” Strikes Amid Weapon Shortages

Zelenskiy called the barrage a "deliberately massive and cynical" act of terror and urged international allies to impose stronger sanctions on Moscow.

“For every strike against civilians, Russia must feel pressure—on its economy, its revenues, and its infrastructure,” Zelenskiy said.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported shooting down 478 of the launched threats, yet the scale of the assault marked a new phase in Russia’s intensified aerial campaign, targeting Kyiv and key infrastructure across the country. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed it struck drone factories, an oil refinery, and a military airfield using “high-precision” weapons—none of which were independently verified.

Videos across social media captured chaotic scenes: people fleeing, fire crews battling blazes in darkness, and homes left hollowed out by the strikes.

Diplomacy Stalls, War Grinds On

Trump confirmed that his call with Putin on Thursday “resulted in no progress at all” toward ending the war. The Kremlin, meanwhile, reiterated its intent to address what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

In the eastern Donetsk region, Ukraine reported five more deaths from Russian shelling late Thursday in and around Pokrovsk.

As casualties mount—both civilian and military—Zelenskiy’s government is ramping up pleas for increased global action, warning that delays in weapons shipments and enforcement of sanctions could further embolden Moscow.

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