Kyiv, Ukraine | May 27, 2025 – Russia unleashed its largest drone and missile assault on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump described Vladimir Putin as “crazy” and accused him of “needlessly killing a lot of people.”
Trump’s remarks, made on Truth Social and during a press event in New Jersey on Sunday, have sparked diplomatic ripples, with the Kremlin calling the comments a reflection of “emotional overload.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov defended the Russian president’s actions as “necessary for Russia’s security.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attacks, saying only “a sense of total impunity” could allow such strikes to continue and escalate.
Wave of Attacks Leaves Dozens Dead
At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured between Saturday night and Sunday, as Russia launched 367 drones and missiles across Ukraine. Hours later, between Sunday evening and Monday morning, Kyiv’s air force reported 355 drones and nine cruise missiles targeting Ukrainian cities, marking the largest drone-only attack to date.
Air raid sirens sounded across multiple regions of Ukraine early Monday, with additional casualties reported.
Russia’s defence ministry claimed its air defence systems intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones targeting several Russian regions. Peskov said Moscow’s strikes were in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on Russian “social infrastructure.”
Trump-Putin Relations in Focus
President Trump, who has maintained a personal rapport with Putin over the years, voiced strong criticism on Sunday, saying:
“I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”
He also hinted at tougher U.S. sanctions against Russia, though no new measures have been enacted yet.
In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump doubled down, saying:
“I’ve always said that he wants all of Ukraine, not just a piece of it… but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”
Trump also took aim at Zelensky, warning that his rhetoric “causes problems” and “better stop.”
Talks of Ceasefire Amid Escalation
Despite the escalation, Trump claimed that his recent two-hour phone call with Putin on a proposed ceasefire went “very well,” adding that Ukraine and Russia would “immediately start” negotiations toward a peace deal.
Ukraine has publicly agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, while Putin has proposed crafting a “memorandum” on a “possible future peace”—a move Kyiv and its European allies view as a stalling tactic.
The first direct Ukraine-Russia talks since 2022 took place on May 16 in Istanbul, Turkey. However, beyond a major prisoner exchange last week, progress remains limited.
Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, annexed in 2014.
Global Response
European allies of Kyiv are preparing additional sanctions against Moscow, while the U.S. says it will continue brokering peace talks but could “walk away” if no progress is made.
Peskov expressed “gratitude” to Trump and the U.S. for their role in facilitating talks, saying:
“We are truly grateful to the Americans and personally to President Trump for their help in organising and launching this negotiation process.”
The situation remains fluid as Ukraine braces for further attacks and the world watches for diplomatic breakthroughs.
