Latest news with #Zelenograd
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Russia
Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Russia overnight, hitting a key microelectronics plant and forcing multiple Moscow airports to close. Kyiv struck the Mikron factory in Zelenograd, which produces microelectronics and semiconductors used to develop missile, air defence and radar systems. Russia said thirteen regions were targeted, including Moscow, Bryansk, Belgorod, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver and Tula. The Kremlin's defence ministry said it shot down 296 drones, including 40 heading for the capital, affecting air travel for hours. It said: 'During the last night... anti-aircraft defence systems destroyed and intercepted 296 Ukrainian aerial drones.' There were no immediate reports of any casualties. Russia's federal air transport agency said flights were temporarily suspended at Moscow's Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Zhukovsky and Sheremetyevo airports. Ukraine is yet to comment. If Russia's numbers are accurate, the strikes would represent one of the largest drone attacks of the war so far by Kyiv, which has stepped up aerial assaults on Russia in recent weeks. In an interview published on Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, warned that Vladimir Putin was preparing to launch 1,000 drones at Ukraine in a single attack. Mr Zelensky claimed that Russia had the capacity to launch around 350 Iranian-made Shahed drones every day, and that it wanted to boost this figure to 500. He told reporters: 'I don't take the figure of 1,000 drones a day as constant, but I understand they could stockpile and launch a massive attack.' The Ukrainian president said Kyiv was working on new technology to counter the increasing drone threat from Russia, which launched 900 drones in the three days up to Monday. 'We're already using them. The question now is how fast we can scale,' Mr Zelensky added, emphasising the importance of international financial support, especially from Germany. Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky continued to warn that Russia was amassing 'more than 50,000 troops' on the front line around the north-eastern Sumy border region. Russian forces captured four villages in Sumy after Putin ordered his troops to carve out a buffer zone along the border. 'Their largest, strongest forces are currently on the Kursk front,' Mr Zelensky told reporters, adding: 'To push our troops out of the Kursk region and to prepare offensive actions against the Sumy region.' The Ukrainian president later called for a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Putin after the Russian leader failed to show up at peace talks in Istanbul earlier this month. '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,' Mr Zelensky said in comments published this morning. The Ukrainian president also said he would 'very much like' Mr Trump to hit Russia's banking and energy sectors with sanctions in response to a wave of aerial attacks and Moscow's refusal to agree to a ceasefire. Mr Trump continued to criticise Putin on Tuesday, warning that he was playing with fire and cautioned that 'really bad' things would have happened already to Russia if it were not for Mr Trump himself. Dmitry Medvedev, a senior security official and Russia's former president, dismissed Mr Trump's criticism and threatened a third world war. He wrote in English on X: 'Regarding Trump's words about Putin 'playing with fire' and 'really bad things' happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!' Keith Kellogg, Mr Trump's envoy, quoted Medvedev's post and said it was reckless. Gen Kellogg said on X: 'Stoking fears of WW III is an unfortunate, reckless comment... and unfitting of a world power. 'President Trump @POTUS is working to stop this war and end the killing. We await receipt of RU Memorandum (Term Sheet) that you promised a week ago. Cease fire now.' Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, said Moscow would announce the next round of direct talks with Ukraine soon.
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Ukraine pummels Moscow in revenge strike after huge Russian blitz – as Zelensky wants talks with Trump AND ‘crazy' Putin
KYIV has pummelled Moscow in a brutal revenge strike following Russia's gargantuan, three-day aerial blitz. As dozens of attack drones swarmed the Russian capital, brave Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky revealed he wants direct crunch talks with Donald Trump and "crazy" Vladimir Putin. 9 9 Ukrainian strikes hit a key Putin microchip plant in Zelenograd district, with thunderous explosions also hitting a drone-making plant and another defence plant in Dubna. Both strikes are seen as causing significant damage to the Kremlin's war machine, as Russian air defences exploded incoming drones to avert more damage. Moscow's defence ministry claims Ukraine launched nearly 300 drones overnight in revenge for Russia unleashing three nights of hellish aerial strikes on Ukraine. In the largest-scale aerial attack of the war a few days ago, Russia sent 367 drones and missiles over the border, killing at least 12 and injuring dozens. In the latest drone blitz launched by Ukraine, there was major disruption at Moscow's major airports with all forced to close, leading to huge flight delays. The Mikron microchip plant in the Moscow region is key to Russian defence needs amid sanctions, supplying hi-tech electronics for weapons. In Dubna, reports say the target was Kronstadt state-of-the-art UAV manufacturing plant that mass produces multiple types of drones used by the Russian armed forces in Ukraine. There were also claims of a confirmed strike in Dubna at an aviation and rocket technology plant. Meanwhile, Zelensky has revealed that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations - including the possibility of a bombshell trilateral meeting. The brave Ukrainian leader explained at a closed meeting with reporters that he would want to meet directly with Trump and mad Vlad, according to the Kyiv Post. How Iran's Trump assassination plot would trigger full-scale invasion by the US and topple Ayatollah's evil regime He said: "We are ready for the Trump-Putin-me format, or for separate meetings - Trump-Putin, Trump-Zelensky, and then all three together. Revealing that both the American and Russian sides are aware of the proposal, Zelensky added: "It's not a question of time or place, the main thing is the substance." Zelensky also said that if the talks are on security guarantees, he "strongly" believes "Europeans must be part of the process" as "they are the ones willing to support us with weapons and financing". Ukraine is currently waiting for a "memorandum" from Moscow which outlines what the next steps could be in potential ceasefire negotiations as well as future peace crunch talks. The brave leader reiterated Ukraine's desire to engage in talks with Russia "in any format, in any composition, and almost anywhere in the civilised world". Ukraine's latest revenge drone strike came soon after US President Trump took his latest swipe at Putin, warning he is "playing with fire". Furious rhetoric from the US president has intensified over the past few days as Russia has blitzed Ukraine and shown signs of preparing for a major onslaught. Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Medvedev responded by saying the only truly bad thing to worry about was World War Three. 9 9 9 He said: "Regarding Trump's words about Putin 'playing with fire' and 'really bad things' happening to Russiam I only know of one REALLY BAD thing: WWIII. "I hope Trump understands this!" Trump's special envoy Keith Kellogg jumped to the US president's defence, slamming Medvedev's World War Three warning. 'Furthering fears of World War Three is an unfortunate, reckless comment by Dmitry Medvedev, unbecoming of a world power,' he said. 'President Trump is working to stop this war and end the killing. We are awaiting the memo you promised a week ago.' Following Ukraine's overnight drone blitz, Sergei Markov, director of Russia's Institute of Political Studies, warned: 'Dubna became the target of a massive attack by Ukrainian drones. 'An attack on Dubna carries the threat of nuclear contamination of large areas.' Russia carried on its onslaught on Ukraine, aiming Iskander missiles at Kremenchug, and drones at Poltava region, overnight. Residents in Poltava heard sonic booms from missiles exceeding the speed of sound. Soon, Britain's state-of-the-art Storm Shadow missiles could be used by Ukraine to blitz targets deep inside Russia, the German Chancellor indicated. 9 9 9 Ukraine's key backers - including Germany, France, the UK and the US - have lifted restrictions on where the weapons they donate can be used, Germany's Merz said. He said last Monday: "There are no longer any range restrictions on weapons delivered to Ukraine - neither by the British nor by the French nor by us nor by the Americans. "This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia… With very few exceptions, it didn't do that until recently. It can now do that." In November last year, the US authorised Ukraine to use American long-range missiles called ATACMS against targets inside Russia. In the same month, Britain gave the green light for Ukraine to fire our Storm Shadow missiles at Russia. Trump brands Putin 'crazy' By Annabel Bate, Foreign News Reporter PRESIDENT Donald Trump broke his silence on Sunday after Russia fired 367 drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities in the largest aerial attack of the war - branding Vladimir Putin "CRAZY". 'I'm not happy with Putin,' Trump fumed as he spoke to reporters in Morristown, New Jersey earlier on Sunday following the overnight onslaught that killed at least 13 and injured dozens. 'I don't know what's wrong with him. What the hell happened to him? Right? He's killing a lot of people. I'm not happy about that,' he said. Trump added that he's known the Russian tyrant for "a long time" and the two have "always gotten along," but "he's sending rockets into cities and killing people, I don't like it at all". And later in a post on his Truth Social site, the Republican leader continued to bash the mad Vlad. He wrote: "I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. "He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I'm not just talking about soldiers. "Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever." In the rare rebuke to Putin, the Republican also said that Putin's demands for Ukrainian territory will lead to Russia's demise. He added: "I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!" But the Kremlin on Monday subtly slammed Trump's "crazy" comments, claiming his swipes at the dictator were channelled by the US President's emotional overload. It also thanked the US leader for his assistance in launching Ukraine peace negotiations. Putin puppet and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organising and launching this negotiation process. "Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions."
Telegraph
28-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Live Ukraine launches massive drone attack on Russia
Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on Russia overnight, forcing multiple airports to close in Moscow. Kyiv struck the Mikron microelectronics plant in Zelenograd, a key producer of microelectronics and semiconductors which are used to develop missile, air defence and radar systems. Russia's defence ministry said it had shot down 296 drones, including 40 heading for the capital, affecting air travel for hours. 'During the last night.... anti-aircraft defence systems destroyed and intercepted 296 Ukrainian aerial drones,' the ministry said. Ukraine is yet to comment. It represents one of the largest drone attacks of the war so far by Kyiv, which has stepped up aerial assaults on Russia in recent weeks. It comes as Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to travel to Berlin later today for a meeting with Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor. Mr Merz earlier this week backed Ukraine striking deep inside Russia with Western-supplied weapons, saying that any range restrictions had been removed months ago.
