LONDON — Russia in a single day hit Ukraine with the largest missile and drone assault of the struggle, launching a report variety of drones at Kyiv, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin to induce him to finish the battle.
A whole bunch of Russian drones swarmed the capital all evening as movies present big fires and plumes of smoke billowing throughout the skyline. Residents described it as one of the vital intense nights because the begin of the full-scale invasion and folks in Kyiv are waking up Friday morning to the town being blanketed by smoke from the fires nonetheless burning.
A person carrying a canine walks previous the wreckage of vehicles following mass Russian drones and missile strike on the Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on July 4, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Oleksii Filippov/AFP through Getty Pictures
No less than one individual was killed and 23 individuals injured, in accordance with Kyiv’s mayor, as many individuals spent the evening sheltering within the metropolis’s metro system.
Trump later held a name with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, throughout which Zelenskyy mentioned Trump had agreed to work collectively to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.
Russia launched 539 drones and round a dozen missiles, in accordance with Ukraine’s Air Drive. It follows one other report strike lower than per week in the past, as Russia has dramatically elevated manufacturing of the kamikaze drones used within the assaults.
The aerial assault started shortly after Trump held a cellphone name with Putin, throughout which the Russian chief once more refused to just accept a ceasefire and signaled he would proceed the struggle.
Rescue staff clear the rubble of a residential home broken by a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 4, 2025.
Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
Zelenskyy known as the assaults after the decision “cynical,” with Ukrainian officers suggesting they had been meant as a blunt message from the Kremlin to accompany the decision.
“Notably, the primary air raid alerts in our cities and areas yesterday started to blare virtually concurrently with media reviews discussing a cellphone name between President Trump and Putin,” Zelenskyy wrote on Friday morning. “But once more, Russia is displaying it has no intention of ending the struggle and terror. Solely round 9 a.m. in the present day did the air raid alert finish in Kyiv. It was a brutal, sleepless evening.”
After chatting with Trump on Friday, Zelenskyy mentioned the decision — which was deliberate earlier than the assaults — had been “crucial and fruitful.” Zelenskyy mentioned the 2 leaders had agreed “we are going to work collectively to strengthen safety of our skies,” including that that they had agreed to a gathering between their groups.
Smoke rises after a Russian strike on Kyiv, Ukraine, July 4, 2025.
Yehor Konovalov/AP
Zelenskyy mentioned he and Trump had additionally had an in depth dialog about “protection business capabilities and joint manufacturing,” saying Ukraine is prepared for “direct tasks” with the USA, specifically referring to drones.
Russia’s big air assaults come because the Trump administration has paused deliveries of some key weapons, together with air protection missiles to Ukraine. Earlier this week, the Pentagon confirmed it had a paused a cargo of weapons earmarked for Ukraine that was already in Poland and that features Patriot interceptor missiles, saying it was conducting a assessment of U.S. weapons shares to evaluate its personal readiness.
The transfer has set off alarms in Kyiv and European capitals, in addition to amongst Democrats and a few Republicans, who worry Trump is extra broadly pulling again U.S. help from Ukraine.
After his name with Putin on Friday, Trump mentioned he was “very dissatisfied” with the Russian chief, saying he believes he’s not prepared to finish the struggle. Zelenskyy has agreed to a right away ceasefire, however Putin has refused.
Trump has not too long ago threatened more durable sanctions on Russia if it continues to gradual stroll negotiations, however up to now has been reluctant to impose them.
