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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