LONDON — Russia and Ukraine continued long-range cross-border drone assaults on Sunday evening into Monday morning, regardless of President Donald Trump’s criticism of presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy — the newest sign of Trump’s frustration at his lack of ability to carry Moscow’s 3-year-old invasion of its neighbor to an in depth.
Ukrainian officers stated air defenses engaged targets throughout the nation, together with within the capital Kyiv the place injury was reported to buildings.
Ukraine’s air power stated Russia launched a complete of 364 “air assault automobiles” — 9 cruise missiles and 355 assault drones — within the newest bombardment. All missiles and 288 drones have been shot down or neutralized in flight, the air power stated. Impacts have been reported in 5 areas and falling particles in 10 areas, the air power stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a publish to Telegram that Russian forces “used the most important variety of drones towards our cities and communities for the reason that starting of the full-scale warfare.”
“Solely a way of full impunity can enable Russia to hold out such strikes and always improve their scale,” Zelenskyy stated. “Like several prison, Russia can solely be delivered to justice by power. Solely via power — the power of america, the power of Europe, the power of all nations that respect life — can we obtain a whole cessation of those assaults and actual peace.”
This mix of images created on Might 25, 2025 exhibits Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
Drew Angerer/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Russia’s Protection Ministry, in the meantime, stated its forces downed 128 Ukrainian drones over 12 areas in a single day and into Monday morning.
Andriy Kovalenko, the pinnacle of the Counter-Disinformation Middle working as a part of Ukraine’s Nationwide Safety and Protection Council, stated “unknown drones” attacked the town of Yelabuga in Russia’s Tatarstan Republic — greater than 500 miles east of Moscow and a few 740 miles from the closest Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The goal was a facility producing Russia’s Iranian-designed Shahed strike drones, Kovalenko stated.
Different drones attacked “a chemical enterprise” within the Ivanovo area, round 150 miles northeast of Moscow, he added. The ability “creates parts for Russian gear and weapons, together with missiles,” Kovalenko stated.
Close to-nightly cross-border strikes have change into a distinguished function of Russia’s warfare on Ukraine, now greater than three years outdated with little signal of an imminent ceasefire or peace deal. Current months have seen the bombardments develop in dimension.
On Saturday evening into Sunday, for instance, Russia launched what Ukrainian officers described as its largest aerial assault of the warfare. The assault included 367 drones and missiles and killed at the least 18 individuals, officers stated.
The assault prompted Trump to rebuke Putin whereas talking with reporters and in a while social media.
“I am not pleased with what Putin is doing,” the president stated. “He is killing lots of people, and I do not know what the hell occurred to Putin. I’ve recognized him a very long time. At all times gotten together with him, however he is sending rockets into cities and killing individuals, and I do not prefer it in any respect.”
Trump reiterated his shut relationship with Putin however instructed that “one thing has occurred” which has made him “loopy.”
“I’ve all the time stated that he needs ALL of Ukraine, not only a piece of it, and possibly that is proving to be proper, but when he does, it should result in the downfall of Russia!” Trump wrote on Fact Social.
Trump additionally attacked Zelenskyy, who he has repeatedly framed as an obstacle to a U.S.-brokered peace deal. “Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Nation no favors by speaking the best way he does,” Trump wrote.
“The whole lot out of his mouth causes issues, I do not prefer it, and it higher cease,” Trump continued.
On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Russia is “actually grateful to the People and personally to President Trump for his help in organizing and launching this negotiation course of. It is a essential achievement.”
“President Putin makes the choices which can be crucial to make sure the safety of our nation,” Peskov stated, including that the Kremlin is “intently monitoring” any “emotional overload” and “emotional reactions” linked to the peace course of.
Explosions are seen within the evening sky as Ukrainian servicemen fireplace in the direction of drones throughout a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Might 26, 2025.
Gleb Garanich/Reuters
Zelenskyy and his officers have cited Russia’s continued massed strikes as proof that Moscow is just not real in its public appeals for peace.
Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly appealed to Trump to impose new, harder sanctions on Moscow to push the Kremlin to downgrade its maximalist warfare objectives. These embody the annexation of swaths of Ukrainian territory, Ukrainian demilitarization and a everlasting block on the nation’s accession to NATO.
Ukrainian requests have to date gone unanswered, regardless of Trump’s threats to introduce new measures to press Putin into negotiations. Kyiv is pushing for a 30-day ceasefire throughout which era peace talks can happen. Russia has to date refused the proposal.
Following the newest spherical of Russian strikes, Andriy Yermak — the pinnacle of Zelenskyy’s presidential workplace — wrote on Telegram on Monday morning, “Russia ought to pace up the ceasefire, now Moscow is slowing down even with the dialogue of proposals, no specifics, solely delaying time.”
Zelenskyy once more urged sanctions. “The rise in Russian assaults ought to be met with elevated sanctions,” he wrote on Telegram on Monday. “Russia’s disregard for diplomacy and refusal to even settle for a ceasefire ought to be met with a blockade of Russian funds and commerce in Russian oil.”
“Thanks to everybody on the planet who’s pushing this very robust agenda,” the president added. “Russia should finish this warfare of its personal. And for that to occur, we should deprive their will to struggle of assets.”
