Russia attacks Ukraine with 700 drones
The attack was the latest in a series of escalating air assaults in recent weeks that have involved hundreds of drones in addition to ballistic missiles, straining Ukrainian air defences at a perilous moment in the war.
Kyiv's military downed almost all the drones but some of the six hypersonic missiles launched by Russia had caused unspecified damage, air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on Ukrainian television.
Officials reported one person killed by drone debris in western Ukraine. Russia's defence ministry said it had struck military airfields.
Closer to the battle zone, eight people were reported killed by drones and guided bombs in the Ukrainian-held part of the frontline Donetsk region.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, due to meet US envoy Keith Kellogg in Rome ahead of a gathering of countries friendly to Ukraine, said the strike showed the need for "biting sanctions" on Russia's income, including on countries that buy Russian oil.
Trump said on Tuesday he was considering supporting a bill that would impose steep sanctions on Russia, including 500 per cent tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports.
"We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin ... He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless," Trump said at a cabinet meeting.
When asked by a reporter what action he would take against Putin, Trump said: "I wouldn't tell you. We want to have a little surprise."
Separately, Europe is working on a new sanctions package against Moscow.
Trump, who returned to power this year promising a swift end to the war that began in 2022, has taken a more conciliatory tone toward Moscow in a departure from predecessor Joe Biden's administration's staunch support for Kyiv.
But initial rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine have so far borne little fruit, with Moscow yet to accept an unconditional ceasefire proposed by Trump and accepted by Kyiv.
The US president's promise to supply more defensive weapons appeared to reverse a Pentagon decision days earlier to stall some critical munitions supplies to Ukraine, despite Russian attacks that have killed dozens in recent weeks.
Shortly after Wednesday's attack, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that diplomatic means to resolve the war had been exhausted. He vowed to continue supporting Kyiv.
Merz said he would make an offer of air defence systems to Ukraine at the conference in Rome on Thursday. — Reuters
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