Russia targets "almost all" of Ukraine, fires 400 drones, 40 missiles
Kyiv: Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine, firing over 400 drones and 40 missiles across the country, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more, CNN reported, citing a Ukrainian official's statement.
The attack targeted almost all Ukraine, with nine regions affected, including Kyiv, Lviv, and Sumy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it as one of the largest attacks since the war began.
Three firefighters were killed in Kyiv, two civilians were killed in Lutsk, and another person was killed in Chernihiv, according to the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, as per CNN.
After the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had used more than 400 drones and 40 missiles in the overnight attack, making it among the war's largest. He said Moscow's attack injured 80 and targeted "almost all" of Ukraine, listing nine regions, from Lviv in the west to Sumy in the northeast.
According to CNN, although Russia has pummeled Ukraine almost daily over three years of full-scale war, Ukrainians had been bracing for retaliation since last Sunday, when Kyiv launched an audacious operation that struck more than a third of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers.
During the telephonic conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would have to respond to Kyiv's assault.
Russia's Ministry of Defence said its strikes were in response to what it called Kyiv's "terrorist acts." It was not immediately clear if the attack was the extent of Russia's pledged retaliation, or if Putin intends to escalate further. After the embarrassment of Kyiv's operation, there was a chorus of bellicose calls from pro-Kremlin pundits for a severe - potentially nuclear - response.
Although Ukrainians had been buoyed last weekend by the news of Kyiv's successful operation, many were wary of how Russia might strike back. But after Friday's strikes, Kyiv residents told CNN they supported Ukraine's strikes against the aircraft Moscow has used to bomb Ukraine for more than three years.
"It didn't break us at all. The morale is as high as it was. We strongly believe in our armed forces," said Olha, a 39-year-old from the capital who did not wish to give her last name.
She said the apparent "retaliation" from Russia was not so different to countless other nights of the war. "Maybe (this was the retaliation), but maybe the retaliation is yet to come. Either way, it doesn't change our attitude towards the enemy or towards our country."
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Times of Oman
16 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Russia targets "almost all" of Ukraine, fires 400 drones, 40 missiles
Kyiv: Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine, firing over 400 drones and 40 missiles across the country, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more, CNN reported, citing a Ukrainian official's statement. The attack targeted almost all Ukraine, with nine regions affected, including Kyiv, Lviv, and Sumy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described it as one of the largest attacks since the war began. Three firefighters were killed in Kyiv, two civilians were killed in Lutsk, and another person was killed in Chernihiv, according to the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, as per CNN. After the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had used more than 400 drones and 40 missiles in the overnight attack, making it among the war's largest. He said Moscow's attack injured 80 and targeted "almost all" of Ukraine, listing nine regions, from Lviv in the west to Sumy in the northeast. According to CNN, although Russia has pummeled Ukraine almost daily over three years of full-scale war, Ukrainians had been bracing for retaliation since last Sunday, when Kyiv launched an audacious operation that struck more than a third of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers. During the telephonic conversation with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would have to respond to Kyiv's assault. Russia's Ministry of Defence said its strikes were in response to what it called Kyiv's "terrorist acts." It was not immediately clear if the attack was the extent of Russia's pledged retaliation, or if Putin intends to escalate further. After the embarrassment of Kyiv's operation, there was a chorus of bellicose calls from pro-Kremlin pundits for a severe - potentially nuclear - response. Although Ukrainians had been buoyed last weekend by the news of Kyiv's successful operation, many were wary of how Russia might strike back. But after Friday's strikes, Kyiv residents told CNN they supported Ukraine's strikes against the aircraft Moscow has used to bomb Ukraine for more than three years. "It didn't break us at all. The morale is as high as it was. We strongly believe in our armed forces," said Olha, a 39-year-old from the capital who did not wish to give her last name. She said the apparent "retaliation" from Russia was not so different to countless other nights of the war. "Maybe (this was the retaliation), but maybe the retaliation is yet to come. Either way, it doesn't change our attitude towards the enemy or towards our country."
Times of Oman
6 days ago
- Times of Oman
"Brilliant operation carried out on enemy territory, Russia suffered significant losses": Zelenskyy
Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Ukrainian armed forces had conducted a "brilliant operation" in Russia aimed "exclusively at military targets." He said the operation inflicted significant losses on Russia, which he termed as "justified and deserved." In his address to the nation on Sunday, Zelenskyy thanked Ukraine's Security Service and all those involved in the operation and mentioned that 117 drones were used in the operation. He noted that the preparation of the operation took over a year and a half and mentioned that planning, organisation and every detail were perfectly executed. He said, "Just now, I received a report from Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk - a brilliant operation was carried out. It took place on enemy territory and was aimed exclusively at military targets - specifically, the equipment used in strikes against Ukraine. Russia suffered truly significant losses - entirely justified and deserved. I thank the Security Service, General Maliuk personally, as well as everyone who was involved in the operation. The preparation took over a year and a half. Planning, organization, and every detail was perfectly executed. I can say with certainty that this is an absolutely unique operation." "What's most interesting - and this can now be stated publicly - is that the "office" of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions. In total, 117 drones were used in the operation - with a corresponding number of drone operators involved. 34% of the strategic cruise missile carriers stationed at air bases were hit. Our personnel operated across multiple Russian regions - in three different time zones. And the people who assisted us were withdrawn from Russian territory before the operation, they are now safe. It is genuinely satisfying when something I authorized a year and six months ago comes to fruition and deprives Russians of over forty units of strategic aviation. We will continue this work," he added. He said that Ukraine's intelligence, before the operation, indicated that Russia was preparing another massive strike. He urged people not to ignore the air raid alerts. "Even before this operation was carried out, we had intelligence indicating that Russia was preparing another massive strike. And it is very important for all our people not to ignore the air raid alerts. Last night, there were nearly 500 Russian drones, attack drones. Each week, they have been increasing the number of units used per strike. Now, they have also prepared Kalibr missiles launched from naval carriers. We know exactly who we are dealing with. And we will defend ourselves by all means available to us - to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Not for a single second did we want this war," he said. The President said that Ukraine offered a ceasefire to Russia. However, he said that Russia continues to choose the war, even though the US proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire has been on the table since March 11. He urged international community to pressurise Russia through diplomacy and sanctions. "We offered the Russians a ceasefire. Since March 11, the U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire has been on the table. It was the Russians who chose to continue the war - even under conditions where the entire world is calling for an end to the killing. And pressure is truly needed - pressure on Russia that should bring it back to reality. Pressure through sanctions. Pressure from our forces. Pressure through diplomacy. All of it must work together," he said. According to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), Ukraine has conducted large-scale drone strikes against several air bases deep inside Russia, destroying multiple combat planes. The operation, named "Spiderweb," comes a day ahead of the peace talks scheduled to be held between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. The operation conducted by Ukraine involved the most ambitious simultaneous strikes on Russian air bases since the war started in 2022. According to an SBU source, over 40 aircraft were known to have been hit, including TU-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and one of Russia's few remaining A-50 surveillance planes, CNN reported. According to the SBU, the operation caused an estimated damage of USD 7 billion and targeted 34 per cent of Russia's strategic cruise missile carriers at its main air bases. The airfields targeted included Belaya in Irkutsk, some 4,500 kilometres from Ukraine's border with Russia, and the Dyagilevo base in Ryazan in western Russia, about 520 kilometres from Ukraine. According to the source, the Olenya base near Murmansk in the Arctic Circle was also hit, and the Ivanovo air base was also struck, CNN reported. Ukrainian operation comes as the two warring nations are set to return to peace negotiations on Monday. The talks, which are set to take place in Istanbul, are facing uncertainty, CNN reported. US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for stalling efforts to advance the peace talks. Earlier this month, Putin proposed holding "direct talks" in Turkiye, however, he never showed up, despite Zelenskyy expressing willingness to meet. Later, the two nations sent low-level delegations to hold talks. A framework from the Ukrainian delegation includes key principles for the negotiations that include a full and unconditional ceasefire, an exchange of prisoners, and the release of hostages and return of abducted children, according to CNN report.
Observer
28-05-2025
- Observer
Kremlin rebuffs Zelensky's call for meeting with Trump, Putin
KYIV: The Kremlin on Wednesday rebuffed a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as Kyiv seeks to force Moscow to halt its more than three-year-long attack. Moscow said any meeting involving Russian President Putin and Zelensky would only happen after "concrete agreements" had been struck between negotiators from each side. Putin rejected calls to meet Zelensky in Turkiye earlier this month, when Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years. Putin has repeatedly said he does not see Zelensky as a legitimate leader and called for him to be toppled. US President Trump, meanwhile, has expressed frustration at both leaders for not yet striking a deal to end the war. The two sides have traded waves of massive aerial attacks in recent weeks, with Ukraine unleashing one of its largest-ever drone barrages on Russia overnight, according to the defence ministry in Moscow. "If Putin is not comfortable with a bilateral meeting, or if everyone wants it to be a trilateral meeting, I don't mind. I am ready for any format," Zelensky said in comments to journalists on Tuesday that were published on Wednesday. The Ukrainian leader said he was "ready" for a "Trump-Putin-me" meeting. Asked about Zelensky's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Such a meeting should be the result of concrete agreements between the two (Ukrainian and Russian) delegations." The talks in Istanbul earlier this month failed to yield a breakthrough. Moscow has rejected coordinated Western calls for an immediate ceasefire. Zelensky also urged the United States to deliver a package of hard-hitting sanctions on Russia's banking and energy sectors. "Trump confirmed that if Russia does not stop, sanctions will be imposed. We discussed two main aspects with him — energy and the banking system. Will the US be able to impose sanctions on these two sectors? I would very much like that," Zelensky said. Trump called said Putin was "playing with fire" in rare rebukes of the Russian leader after Moscow's latest wave of aerial attacks. The US president has repeatedly threatened to impose fresh sanctions on Russia, but has yet to do so. Despite months of US-led diplomacy, the two sides appear no closer to striking a deal to end the war, triggered by Russia's February 2022 attack. Tens of thousands have been killed, much of eastern and southern Ukraine has been destroyed, and Moscow's army now controls around a fifth of Ukraine's territory, including the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. Ukraine overnight fired almost 300 drones at Russia, where officials reported only minimal damage from the attacks and some air travel disruption. The Ukrainian military said the attack hit several sites involved in missile and drone production. Zelensky on Wednesday also accused Russia of dragging out the peace process and of not wanting to halt its attack. "They will constantly look for reasons not to end the war," he said at a press conference in Berlin alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, criticising Russia for not having agreed to a location for the next round of negotiations. Kyiv is yet to receive a promised "memorandum" from Russia on its demands for a peace deal that Putin said he would send to Ukraine. Work on the document was in its "final stages", Peskov said. Zelensky also urged allies to invite Kyiv to a Nato summit in June, warning that otherwise it would be a victory for Russia. Merz said Germany will help Ukraine develop new long-range weapons that can hit targets in Russian territory. Neither leader provided specific details. The Kremlin said Germany's support to Kyiv would "hinder peace efforts". On the battlefield, Zelensky said Russia was "amassing" more than 50,000 troops on the front line around the northeastern Sumy border region, where Moscow's army has captured a number of settlements as it seeks to establish what Putin has called a "buffer zone" inside Ukrainian territory. Russia's army said on Wednesday it had captured another village in the Sumy region. — AFP
