By ILLIA NOVIKOV and VOLODYMYR YURCHUK, Related Press
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia in a single day launched the most important drone assault on Ukraine within the greater than three-year battle, a Ukrainian official mentioned Monday. President Donald Trump mentioned Russian chief Vladimir Putin has gone “crazy” by stepping up the bombing of Ukraine simply because the U.S. tries to dealer peace.
The Russian bombardment on Sunday night time included 355 drones, Yuriy Ihnat, head of the Ukrainian air drive’s communications division, informed The Related Press.
The earlier night time, Russia fired 298 drones and 69 missiles of assorted sorts at Ukraine in what Ukrainians mentioned was the most important mixed aerial assault in the course of the battle. From Friday to Sunday, Russia launched round 900 drones at Ukraine, officers mentioned.
The escalation appeared to thwart hopes that Trump’s peace efforts may result in a breakthrough within the close to time period, as Putin seems to be decided to seize extra Ukrainian territory and inflict extra harm.
Russia has this month damaged its report for aerial bombardments of Ukraine 3 times. The growth of its air marketing campaign got here after Kyiv in March accepted an unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. however Moscow successfully rejected it.
Russia can also be nonetheless pushing alongside the roughly 620-mile entrance line, the place it has made gradual and dear progress, and is assembling its forces for a summer time offensive, Ukraine and navy analysts say.
“Only a sense of complete impunity can allow Russia to carry out such attacks and continually escalate their scale,” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram on Monday. “There is no significant military logic to this, but there is considerable political meaning.”
He repeated his name for tighter worldwide financial sanctions on Russia as a approach of ending the battle, as a result of Russia’s “desire to fight must be deprived of resources.”
The European Union’s prime diplomat, overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas, on Monday described the newest assaults on Kyiv as “totally appalling” and mentioned the bloc meant to impose extra sanctions on Russia.
Trump has threatened huge sanctions on Moscow, too, however to this point hasn’t taken motion.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned Putin makes selections which might be crucial to make sure Russia’s safety and that the assaults had been Moscow’s response to deep strikes by Ukraine.
Russia is grateful for American efforts to deliver peace, which have included the nations’ first direct peace talks in three years, Peskov mentioned.
He mentioned negotiations are at “a decisive moment that is linked to emotional overloading for everyone and emotional reactions.”
The Ukrainian numbers for what number of drones and missiles had been fired couldn’t be independently verified.
Trump made it clear he’s dropping endurance with Putin. “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump wrote in a social media publish on Sunday night time.
Trump mentioned Putin is “needlessly killing a lot of people,” declaring that “missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.”
The U.S. president warned that if Putin desires to beat all of Ukraine, it can “lead to the downfall of Russia!” However Trump expressed frustration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as effectively, saying that he’s “doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does.”
Russia and Ukraine swapped lots of extra prisoners Sunday within the third and final a part of a significant change that was a uncommon second of cooperation
Russia’s Protection Ministry mentioned all sides exchanged 303 troopers, following the discharge of 307 combatants and civilians every on Saturday, and 390 on Friday — the most important whole swap of the battle.
Of their talks held in Istanbul earlier this month, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of battle and civilian detainees every. The change has been the one tangible final result from the talks.
Lorne Prepare dinner in Brussels contributed.
