Russia launched a massive barrage of missile and drone strikes across Ukraine on [Insert Date], targeting critical infrastructure and civilian areas. The attack, one of the largest since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, resulted in [Insert reported casualties and damage]. Explosions were reported in numerous cities, including [List affected cities], causing widespread power outages and disruption to essential services. Ukrainian air defenses were engaged, but the sheer scale of the assault overwhelmed some systems. Meanwhile, in stark contrast to the devastation unfolding on the ground, the Kremlin remained outwardly calm amidst mounting criticism from former US President Donald Trump. In a statement attributed to a Kremlin spokesperson, the Russian government described its response to Trump's escalating condemnations as "quite calm." The statement offered no specific details about the nature of Trump's criticism or the Kremlin's reaction, maintaining a tone of nonchalance that stood in stark opposition to the gravity of the ongoing military assault. This juxtaposition highlights the Kremlin's strategy of projecting an image of composure even in the face of significant international pressure. The simultaneous launching of a major military offensive and the downplaying of criticism from a prominent international figure underscores a possible attempt to deflect attention from the human cost of the war and to maintain a narrative of control and strength. Analysts are divided on the interpretation of the Kremlin's response; some speculate it reflects genuine confidence, while others believe it's a calculated attempt to minimize the impact of negative international sentiment. The contrasting images—the brutal reality of the attacks on Ukrainian cities and the Kremlin's seemingly relaxed attitude towards Trump's criticism—underscore the complexity and contradictions at the heart of the ongoing conflict.
Russia launched its largest drone attack on in a single day since the war began more than three years ago when, the Ukrainian Air Force said Wednesday. In a statement, the air force said Russia fired 728 Shahed and decoy drones, as well as 13 missiles, overnight.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post most of the Russian drones were taken down by Ukrainian interceptor drones, but some of the weapons did get through air defenses. Ukrainian prosecutors were quoted by the French news agency AFP as saying five civilians were killed by drones that slammed into private vehicles in the far eastern town of Rodynske, while three more people were killed about 10 minutes later in Kostiantynivka, around which Russian forces have been closing in.
Officials said two people were also wounded in the Kyiv region during the attack. Zelenskyy said the main target of the Russian attacks, however, was the northwestern city of Lutsk, which sits near the Ukrainian border with Poland and Belarus and is home to airfields used by the Ukrainian army.
Zelenskyy said the attack, "comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace, to establish a ceasefire, and yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all."
The massive Russian strike came a day after President and directly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"I'm not happy with Putin, I can tell you that much right now, because he's killing a lot of people," Mr. Trump said during a Tuesday cabinet meeting at the White House.
The vow to increase weapons deliveries to Ukraine came just days after the Pentagon announced it would to Ukraine, citing concerns over dwindling American stockpiles.
"We get a lot of b******* thrown at us by Putin," Mr. Trump added on Tuesday. "He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."
When asked about the criticism, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that Moscow was, "quite calm about this," according to the Reuters news agency.
In a social media post, Zelenskyy said the huge Russian attack was "yet another proof" of the need for more economic sanctions against Russia.
The latest Russian attack came as Zelenskyy was due to meet with Trump's envoy Keith Kellogg in Italy, ahead of a Ukraine Recovery Conference starting Thursday in Rome, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Zelenskyy was also to meet for the , and with other European leaders, as he seeks to persuade his international partners to increase both pressure on Russia, and support for Ukraine.
The conference will see European political and business leaders gather to discuss ways to boost investment for the reconstruction of war-torn Ukraine.
