In the largest drone assault of the war, Russia launched a staggering 267 drones against Ukraine on Saturday night, intensifying its air campaign just days before the third anniversary of its full-scale invasion.
Ukraine’s air force confirmed that it successfully intercepted 138 Shahed attack drones, while 119 others reportedly failed in flight without causing damage. However, the onslaught targeted multiple regions, including Kyiv, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia, leaving at least four people injured.
Russian aerial assaults have become a nightly occurrence, but Saturday’s strike shattered the previous record of 193 drones used in a single attack, set in December. Ukraine’s air defense forces scrambled to counter the offensive, deploying fighter jets, anti-aircraft missile units, and electronic warfare systems.
“Every day, our people stand against aerial terror,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X, expressing gratitude to the forces repelling these attacks and the emergency teams working tirelessly on the ground.
“The war continues,” he added. “Everyone capable of helping with air defense must work to enhance the protection of human life. We must do everything possible to bring a lasting and just peace to Ukraine.”
The attack comes as Ukraine’s allies struggle to maintain a united front against Russia. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha‎ took a veiled swipe at U.S. diplomacy, criticizing reports that Washington is blocking a G7 statement explicitly naming Russia as the aggressor.
“This demonstrates that avoiding calling Russia an aggressor does not change the fact that it is one,” Sybiha‎ said. “No one should trust Putin’s words. Look at his actions instead.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 40 Ukrainian drones over its territory in the last 24 hours, underscoring Ukraine’s ongoing long-range counterstrikes.
U.S. Seeking Talks Without Ukraine
As Ukraine braces for the fourth year of war, a new geopolitical wrinkle is emerging: the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly seeking direct peace negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin—without Ukraine at the table.
Zelenskyy has made it clear that Kyiv will reject any peace deal brokered over its head, warning that a settlement without Ukraine’s involvement would only embolden further Russian aggression.
