{"id":238206,"date":"2025-07-04T19:32:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T19:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/238206\/"},"modified":"2025-07-04T19:32:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T19:32:15","slug":"russia-hits-ukraine-with-its-largest-aerial-attack-of-the-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/238206\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia hits Ukraine with its largest aerial attack of the war"},"content":{"rendered":"

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine<\/a> began more than three years ago, officials said Friday, amid a renewed Russian push<\/a> to capture more of its neighbor\u2019s land.<\/p>\n

Hours after the barrage that killed one person and wounded at least 26 others, including a child, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a \u201cvery important and productive\u201d phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Firefighters<\/p>\n

Firefighters work at a destroyed apartment building after a Russian drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

Firefighters work at a destroyed apartment building after a Russian drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Damaged<\/p>\n

Damaged cars lie in a yard among other debris after a Russian drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

Damaged cars lie in a yard among other debris after a Russian drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

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The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defenses might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the U.S. and Ukraine, and broader U.S-led efforts to end the war<\/a> with Russia, according to a statement by Zelenksyy.<\/p>\n

The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid<\/a> to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. Ukraine\u2019s main European backers are considering how<\/a> they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine\u2019s domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the call.<\/p>\n

The seven-hour bombardment of Kyiv caused severe damage across multiple districts of the capital in a seven-hour onslaught, authorities said. Blasts lit up the night sky and echoed across the city as air raid sirens wailed. The blue lights of emergency vehicles reflected off high-rise buildings, and debris blocked city streets.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a harsh, sleepless night,\u201d Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n

Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. Less than a week ago, Russia launched what was then the largest aerial assault<\/a> of the war. That strategy has coincided with a concerted Russian effort to break through parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukrainian troops are under severe pressure.<\/p>\n

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday. He also said that he was \u201cvery disappointed\u201d with the conversation he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Russia launched 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine during the night, the country\u2019s air force said. The majority were Shahed drones<\/a>, but Russia also launched 11 missiles in the attack. <\/p>\n

Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old Kyiv wedding photographer, said that her home was destroyed in the attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were all in the (basement) shelter because it was so loud, staying home would have been suicidal,\u201d she told The Associated Press. \u201cWe went down 10 minutes before and then there was a loud explosion and the lights went out in the shelter, people were panicking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five ambulances were damaged while responding to calls, officials said, and emergency services removed more than 300 tons of rubble.<\/p>\n

Trump, Zelenskyy talks<\/p>\n

In Friday\u2019s call, Zelenskyy said he congratulated Trump and the American people on Independence Day and thanked the United States for its continued support.<\/p>\n

They discussed a possible future meeting between their teams to explore ways of enhancing Ukraine\u2019s protection against air attacks, Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n

He added that they talked in detail about defense industry capabilities and direct joint projects with the U.S., particularly in drone technology. They also exchanged views on mutual procurement, investment, and diplomatic cooperation with international partners, Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"In<\/p>\n

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, first responders work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv region, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)<\/p>\n

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, first responders work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv region, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

Peace efforts have been fruitless so far. Recent direct peace talks<\/a> have led only to sporadic exchanges of prisoners of war, wounded troops and the bodies of fallen soldiers. No date has been set for further negotiations.<\/p>\n

Ukrainian officials and the Russian Defense Ministry said another prisoner swap took place Friday, though neither side said how many soldiers were involved. Zelenskyy said most of the Ukrainians had been in Russian captivity since 2022. The Ukrainian soldiers were classified as \u201cwounded and seriously ill.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m very disappointed\u2019<\/p>\n

The attack on Kyiv began the same day a phone call took place<\/a> between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. <\/p>\n

Asked if he made any progress during his call with Putin on a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine, Trump said: \u201cNo, I didn\u2019t make any progress with him today at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin because I don\u2019t think he\u2019s there. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s looking to stop (the fighting), and that\u2019s too bad,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n

According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin\u2019s foreign affairs adviser, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the \u201croot causes\u201d of the conflict.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Damaged<\/p>\n

Damaged cars lie in a yard among other debris after a Russian drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

Damaged cars lie in a yard among other debris after a Russian drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

\u201cRussia will not back down from these goals,\u201d Ushakov told reporters after the call. <\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s army crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Putin sought to justify by falsely saying<\/a> it was needed to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO. <\/p>\n

Zelenskyy has repeatedly called out Russian disinformation efforts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Constant buzzing of drones<\/p>\n

The Ukrainian response needs to be speedy as Russia escalates its aerial attacks. Russia launched 5,438 drones at Ukraine in June, a new monthly record, according to official data collated by The Associated Press. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said earlier this week that Russia also launched more than 330 missiles, including nearly 80 ballistic missiles, at Ukrainian towns and cities that month.<\/p>\n

Throughout the night, AP journalists in Kyiv heard the constant buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gun fire as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv,\u201d Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on social media platform X. \u201cOne of the worst so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described \u201cfamilies running into metro stations, basements, underground parking garages, mass destruction in the heart of our capital.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Kyiv endured last night, cannot be called anything but a deliberate act of terror,\u201d she wrote on X.<\/p>\n

Kyiv was the primary target of the countrywide attack. At least 14 people were hospitalized, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. <\/p>\n

Zelenskyy called the Kyiv attack \u201ccynical.\u201d In Moscow, the Defense Ministry claimed its forces targeted factories producing drones and other military equipment in Kyiv.<\/p>\n

Russia strikes 5 Ukrainian regions<\/p>\n

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 270 targets, including two cruise missiles. Another 208 targets were lost from radar and presumed jammed.<\/p>\n

Russia successfully hit eight locations with nine missiles and 63 drones. Debris from intercepted drones fell across at least 33 sites.<\/p>\n

In addition to the capital, the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Kyiv regions also sustained damage, Zelenskyy said. <\/p>\n

Emergency services reported damage in at least five of Kyiv\u2019s 10 districts.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Vasilisa Stepanenko contributed to this report from Kyiv, Ukraine<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Follow AP\u2019s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/russia-ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":238207,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7654],"tags":[92771,12019,32,2000,299,4179,10546,285,332,7659,7661,657,7662,56548,333,2601,263,26830],"class_list":{"0":"post-238206","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ukraine","8":"tag-alya-shahlai","9":"tag-ap-top-news","10":"tag-donald-trump","11":"tag-eu","12":"tag-europe","13":"tag-general-news","14":"tag-kyiv","15":"tag-politics","16":"tag-russia","17":"tag-russia-government","18":"tag-russia-ukraine-war","19":"tag-ukraine","20":"tag-ukraine-government","21":"tag-vitali-klitschko","22":"tag-vladimir-putin","23":"tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy","24":"tag-world-news","25":"tag-yuri-ushakov"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114796635534534902","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238206"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238206\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}