Dim Amor

At least 23 people were injured last night in an exceptionally intense Russian attack on the city of Kyiv, which began shortly after the telephone conversation between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. The attack, which included hundreds of drones and 11 cruise and ballistic missiles, caused severe damage in several areas of the Ukrainian capital.

Some of the missiles and drones struck multiple locations in Kyiv, causing severe damage to dozens of residential buildings and hundreds of vehicles. The strikes shattered windows in several areas throughout the city, and for many hours, black smoke columns rose over Kyiv's skies, visible from afar.

Ukrainian forces managed to intercept most of the drones launched toward the city, but only two out of the 11 missiles fired were neutralized by defense systems. The low interception rate of the missiles added to the severity of the heavy damage caused throughout the city.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to the night attack with a sharp post on social media, writing: "A terrible and sleepless night in Kyiv. One of the worst so far. Hundreds of Russian drones and ballistic missiles rained down on Ukraine's capital. Right after Putin spoke with President Trump. And he does this deliberately. Stop waiting! Putin clearly demonstrates his complete contempt for the US and everyone who called for an end to the war".

Kuleba called for imposing the harshest sanctions on Moscow and providing Ukraine with all necessary means for self-defense. His words come against the backdrop of reports that the US is freezing weapons shipments to Ukraine that had already been agreed upon during the previous administration.

"Wrong decisions can only push the aggressor to escalate the terror", added the Ukrainian Foreign Minister. "All criminal regimes in the world are now closely watching Putin's actions and the response to them. If he gets away with this, they will all receive a very clear message. Stop waiting for peace. Act to achieve peace. Peace through strength".

The timing of the attack raises questions about the connection between it and the conversation that took place shortly before between Presidents Trump and Putin. This is a familiar pattern of the Russian president, who has already demonstrated defiant behavior and message-sending at critical times on several occasions.

The night attack joins a long series of Russian attacks on Kyiv since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago. However, the intensity and timing of this attack highlight the message that Moscow seeks to convey at this sensitive time, when diplomatic attempts to end the conflict are underway.

The heavy strikes on the Ukrainian capital underscore the continuation of violence and destruction in the war, despite diplomatic discussions being held at the highest levels. The night attack serves as a stark reminder that according to the reality on the ground, the war continues to rage against the civilian population in Ukraine.

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