- Russia launched glide bomb attacks on Kherson, injuring civilians and destroying key infrastructure.
- A deadly drone strike killed five, including a 1-year-old, in the city of Pryluky.
- Trump-Putin call signals escalating tensions, with no signs of peace on the horizon.
Russia has escalated its aerial campaign, launching glide bomb strikes on the southern city of Kherson and drone attacks across northern Ukraine. The strikes targeted government infrastructure and residential buildings, with reports of widespread destruction.
Meanwhile, the political landscape shifted following a lengthy phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Trump relayed that Putin expressed intentions to retaliate after Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, which destroyed several Russian bombers.
No Immediate Peace”: Putin Threatens Response as Ukraine Faces Deadly Night of Strikes
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that 103 drones and a ballistic missile were launched across several Ukrainian regions in a massive overnight assault. Cities like Donetsk, Odesa, and Kharkiv were hit, compounding the strain on Ukraine’s already stretched air defense systems. Zelenskyy renewed calls for stronger international sanctions against Russia.
The glide bomb attacks on Kherson mark a continued use of Soviet-era KAB munitions, capable of causing massive destruction. The government building’s upper floors were obliterated, and videos circulated by officials show the debris-strewn aftermath. Such precision attacks signal a shift in Russia’s tactics toward disabling Ukraine’s administrative capacity.
In Pryluky, the targeted drone attack on a residential area shocked even seasoned responders. The victim — a police officer — and her child and mother became symbolic of the indiscriminate nature of Russian attacks. Officials noted that the city, far from the front, has no clear military significance, suggesting the strikes were designed to sow fear.
Ukraine’s top aide Andriy Yermak visited Washington this week, urging U.S. officials to provide greater air defense support. With Russia intensifying aerial attacks, Kyiv argues that only upgraded defensive systems can mitigate future civilian losses. Talks with Germany and the U.S. also focused on sustaining global attention amid war fatigue.
With intensified attacks, diplomatic deadlock, and growing civilian casualties, Ukraine’s war front is no longer defined by geography—but by its enduring human cost.
“This is not just a loss — it is three generations of life uprooted.”
— Ukraine’s National Police, after the Pryluky drone strike
