Russia launched a heavy drone and missile attack on targets across Ukraine overnight Saturday into Sunday as the war continues to rage with no end in sight despite President Trump’s earlier push for a ceasefire.
The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia fired 60 missiles and 477 drones and decoy drones designed to overwhelm air defenses. The Air Force said it shot down about 90% of the projectiles launched into Ukraine, but many of the missiles were able to strike targets.
A Ukrainian fighter pilot flying a US-made F-16 died in a crash while attempting to intercept Russian missiles and drones. According to The New York Times, it’s unclear if any civilians were killed in the Russian barrage, though a woman was reported killed by Russian shelling near the frontline in Kherson.
Fighting also continued along the frontline in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are making gains in the Donetsk Oblast. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Russian troops took over a settlement in Donetsk and claimed Ukraine’s military suffered more than 1,200 casualties over the past day, but the number isn’t verified.
In response to the Russian attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for more help from his Western backers. “This war must be brought to an end — pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection. Protection from ballistic and other missiles, from drones, and from terror,” he wrote on X.
“Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense — the thing that best protects lives. These are American systems, which we are ready to buy. We count on leadership, political will, and the support of the United States, Europe, and all our partners,” Zelensky added.
The attack came a few days after Zelensky met with President Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague and asked for more Patriot missile defense systems, a request Trump said he was considering. While he campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine, Trump continues to fuel the conflict by providing military aid and intelligence support.
