Russia launches largest drone and missile attack on Ukraine hours after TRUMP - PUTIN call



Friday, July 4, 2025 - Russia launched its largest drone and missile assault on Ukraine overnight Friday, July 4, just hours after a high-stakes phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without progress on ending the war.

Explosions echoed across Kyiv as air defence systems worked through the night to repel the barrage. AFP journalists in the capital reported hearing the persistent hum of drones and the thunder of detonations as Ukrainian forces engaged incoming threats.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said air raid sirens began sounding across the country shortly after news broke of the Trump-Putin call.

“Yet again, Russia is showing it has no intention of ending the war and terror,” Zelensky said on social media. “All of this is clear evidence that without truly large-scale pressure, Russia will not change its dumb, destructive behaviour,” he added, urging the United States to intensify pressure on Moscow.

According to Ukraine’s air force, the assault involved 539 drones of various types and 11 missiles. Twenty-three people were wounded in the attack, which Ukrainian officials described as the most massive aerial assault since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

“This was the largest attack of the war,” a Ukrainian air force spokesperson told local media.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, doubled down on its military objectives. The conversation between Trump and Putin, marking their sixth since Trump returned to office in January, yielded no diplomatic breakthrough. While Trump has previously spoken optimistically about possible peace deals, his tone shifted starkly after this latest exchange.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga accused Russia of outright contempt for international appeals to end the conflict. “Putin clearly shows his complete disregard for the United States and everyone who has called for an end to the war,” he said.

The intensity of Russia’s air campaign has escalated in recent weeks. An AFP analysis shows June saw a record number of drone and missile strikes against Ukraine, coinciding with the apparent collapse of direct peace efforts.

In Kyiv, many residents sought refuge in underground metro stations overnight as air raid sirens blared through the city.

The attack comes as concerns grow in Ukraine over the consistency of U.S. military support. This week, Washington announced it would reduce some military aid deliveries, prompting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to urge the EU to “step up.”

Ukraine has responded with increased drone strikes into Russian territory. In the latest incident, a woman was killed after a Ukrainian drone hit an apartment building, according to the region’s acting governor.

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