Ukraine has suffered its most intense aerial bombardment since the start of the war, with President Volodymyr Zelensky reporting that 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles struck multiple cities across the country in overnight waves of attacks.
Calling it a “telling attack,” Zelensky condemned the assault for undermining ongoing efforts to negotiate peace and establish a ceasefire. “Only Russia continues to reject all peace proposals,” he said.
The escalation came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump reversed a previous suspension of military aid to Kyiv, announcing that more weapons would be sent to Ukraine. The reversal reportedly includes the delivery of 10 Patriot missile systems, which Kyiv relies on to counter Russian missile and drone strikes.
Trump, expressing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin… He’s very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.” Despite repeated communication between the two leaders, no ceasefire agreement has been reached—though Trump had previously claimed he could end the war “in one day.”
Trump’s administration had briefly halted military support to Ukraine—a decision reportedly made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and policy chief Elbridge Colby. When asked who was responsible for the suspension, Trump, seated beside Hegseth, replied: “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”
The White House also revealed it is reviewing a proposal by Senator Lindsey Graham to impose 500% tariffs on countries that maintain trade ties with Russia. Although Trump has discussed sanctions extensively with Putin, he has yet to impose any, citing concerns over their economic impact.
Meanwhile, the latest Russian strike heavily damaged Lutsk, a key transit point near the Polish border, with further explosions reported in Lviv and Rivne. No part of Ukraine appears safe, with missile attacks reaching far beyond the eastern front.
Russia, for its part, claimed that a Ukrainian drone strike on the Kursk region killed three and injured seven civilians.
Despite two rounds of peace talks earlier this year, no further negotiations have been scheduled. Both Moscow and Kyiv remain pessimistic about diplomatic resolutions as Russia’s summer offensive in eastern Ukraine continues. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “We are moving forward. Each new day, the Ukrainians have to accept the new realities.”
