Russia launches largest drone attack on Ukraine hours before Trump-Putin call
Russia targeted Ukraine with its largest single drone attack yet just hours ahead of President Donald Trump’s phone call with Vladimir Putin about ending the war.
Russia on Sunday fired a total of 273 exploding drones and decoys targeting Ukraine’s Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions, according to Ukraine’s air force. Of those, 88 were intercepted and 128 lost, likely being electronically jammed.
The barrage was the biggest drone attack since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Yuriy Ihnat, head of the air force’s communications department, told the Associated Press.
It came after Trump said he would be “speaking, by telephone, to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday, at 10:00 a.m.” regarding the war in Ukraine.
PRESIDENT TRUMP DISHES ON ‘GREAT’ PHONE CALL WITH RUSSIA’S VLADIMIR PUTIN
Firefighters work at a building hit by a Russian drone strike outside of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sunday May 18. (Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)
“The subjects of the call will be, stopping the ‘bloodbath’ that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. “I will then be speaking to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and then, with President Zelenskyy, various members of NATO.”
“Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end,” Trump added. “God bless us all!!!”
Firefighters put out a fire following Russia’s drone attack in the Kyiv region on Sunday, May 18. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
The previous largest known single drone attack from Russia against Ukraine was on the eve of the war’s third anniversary, when Russia pounded Ukraine with 267 drones.
Kyiv regional Gov. Mykola Kalashnyk said a 28-year-old woman was killed in Sunday’s drone attack, and three other people, including a 4-year-old child, were wounded, the AP reported.
MASSIVE RUSSIAN DRONE ATTACK KILLS 7 IN UKRAINE AHEAD OF US PEACE TALKS
Residents stand next to houses heavily damaged by a Russian drone strike, outside of Kyiv on Sunday, May 18. (Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also met with Zelenskyy in Rome Sunday for ongoing peace talks.
“During our talks we discussed negotiations in Istanbul to where the Russians sent a low-level delegation of non-decision-makers. I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy shared on X regarding the meeting.
“We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange. Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war. And, of course, we talked about our joint steps to achieve a just and durable peace,” he continued.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia’s drone attack on Sunday, May 18, was the largest one they have launched since Putin’s forces invaded the country in early 2022. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
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World leaders converged in Rome this weekend for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass at the Vatican on Sunday, with Vance leading the U.S. delegation. Zelenskyy also attended the mass.
Fox News’ Emma Colton and the Associated Press contributed to this report.