KYIV: Russia launched more strike drones into Ukraine overnight on Saturday than in any other single attack of the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, one day before the three-year anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion.
Writing on social media, Zelenskyy said 267 strike drones had been sent in what he called “the largest attack since Iranian drones began hitting Ukrainian cities and villages.”
Ukraine’s air force said 138 drones had been shot down over 13 Ukrainian regions, with 119 more lost en route to their targets.
Three ballistic missiles had also been fired, the air force said. One person was killed in a missile strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih, according to the head of the Kryvyi Rih military administration.
The attack came as leaders in Kyiv and across Europe are seeking to navigate rapid changes in US foreign policy under President Donald Trump, who in a matter of days has upended years of firm support for Ukraine, leading to fears that he would join with Moscow to force a settlement to the war without involving Ukraine and its European backers.
Ukraine fears Trump’s policy shift toward Putin
Trump’s engagement with Russian officials and his agreement to reopen diplomatic ties and economic cooperation with Moscow marked a dramatic about-face in US policy which had previously sought to isolate Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, over the war.
Zelenskyy has expressed fears that Trump pushing a quick resolution would result in lost territory for Ukraine and vulnerability to future Russian aggression, though US officials have asserted that the Ukrainian leader would be involved if and when peace talks actually start.
Trump, however, prompted alarm and anger in Ukraine when this week he suggested that Kyiv had started the war, and that Zelenskyy was acting as a “dictator” since the country has not held elections in accordance with Ukrainian legislation prohibiting them during martial law. Russia is preparing for a Trump-Putin meeting, signalling a shift in Moscow’s isolation under the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned Russia’s latest attacks, urging the world to judge Putin by actions, not words. As Ukraine marks three years of war, Zelenskyy stresses unity among allies. The UK plans fresh sanctions, while European leaders seek to secure US
support for Kyiv.