Russia intensified its air assault against Ukraine Friday night, days after the United States froze an air defense shipment due to waning weapons stockpile.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 550 drones and missiles overnight, including seven ballistic missiles.
Russia mainly targeted the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in the attack, injuring at least 20 people along with damaging residential buildings and railway infrastructure. Ukraine said it shot down 475 drones and missiles of the 550 launched.
The U.S. stopped a shipment of air defense missiles to Ukraine earlier this week after the Pentagon said weapons stockpiles had fallen too low. Ukrainian officials warned the freeze would encourage Russia.
When asked about the pause on Thursday, President Donald Trump said, “We are giving weapons, and we’re working with them and trying to help them,” but maintained that the U.S. has to “make sure we have enough for ourselves.”
The attack also followed a Friday call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump characterized Putin as unhelpful in the call.
“I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin because I don’t think he’s there,” he said, adding that the pair didn’t make progress on a peace deal “at all.”
The president said it was a “pretty long call,” and he discussed a “lot of things” with Putin, including Iran.
“And we also talked about, as you know, the war with Ukraine,” he said. “And I’m not happy about that. I’m not happy about that.”
Ukraine suggested Putin has no intention to listen to peacemakers in the war.
“Putin clearly demonstrates his complete disregard for the United States and all those who have called for an end to the war,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.
Ukraine struck a Russian air base on Saturday, with the country’s military saying the facility is the home base “of Russia’s Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets.”
Top Ukrainian military officials said they hit a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft, and “possibly other aircraft.”
Ukraine destroyed dozens of aircraft in a surprise drone attack last month aimed at several Russian airfields.
Both countries’ aerial military actions signal the war isn’t going to end imminently. Russia launched thousands of drones into Ukraine in June, and Ukraine has continued to make efforts to fight back.
Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, and the pair discussed Russia’s aerial attack on Friday, as well as air defenses. Zelensky’s office told the New York Times that the two leaders “agreed to work on increasing the protection of Ukrainian skies” but did not address whether the Trump administration would resume supplying air defense weapons.
ZELENSKY CONFIRMS CALL WITH TRUMP AFTER RUSSIA LAUNCHED LARGEST AERIAL ASSAULT OF UKRAINE WAR
If Ukraine is unable to get more weapons from the U.S. in the form of military aid, they hope to purchase them instead. In the absence of a diplomatic solution to their war, they’ll likely need help to fend off Russia’s relentless assaults.
Trump has made brokering peace with Russia and Ukraine a priority of his administration, but has been unsuccessful at producing a ceasefire even though he’s helped bring both sides to the negotiating table.