Russia attacked Ukraine on Sunday with the largest drone assault so far in the war, Ukrainian authorities said, damaging a key building in the heavily guarded government district of the capital for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Ukraine’s Air Force said that Russia had launched 805 Iranian-designed Shahed exploding drones and decoys across the country, the latest in a relentless offensive that has continued unabated despite the Trump administration’s efforts to mediate peace talks. Before Sunday’s assault, the largest attack was on July 9, when Russia launched 728 drones.
Russia also fired 13 cruise and ballistic missiles in the latest volley, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, which said nine missiles and nearly 60 drones had evaded air defenses and made impact.
President Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who despite appeals from the White House has given little indication that he has softened any of his maximalist demands for a settlement. In the meantime, Russian forces have continued to bombard Ukraine, including targeting European and American assets in the capital, Kyiv, and killing civilians.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday in Washington, Mr. Trump said that he was prepared to move to a second phase of sanctions on Russia for failing to reach a cease-fire deal. Mr. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Mr. Putin, including a few days ago when he appeared with other authoritarian leaders in China, but has not taken action even as Russia has escalated its bombardment of Ukraine.
Despite imposing “secondary sanctions” on India and other countries that do business with Russia, Mr. Trump’s threats to punish Russia itself have been so far empty, with deadlines he’s set for action coming and going without consequence.
