Ukraine has been subjected to the most extensive aerial attack since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with 12 people confirmed dead and more than 60 injured following a barrage involving nearly 300 drones and 70 missiles launched overnight on 25 May.
The strikes, which targeted residential areas across thirteen Ukrainian regions, left scenes of devastation and renewed calls from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for tougher international sanctions.
The assault covered an arc stretching from Ternopil to Sumy, and from Kharkiv to Khmelnytskyi. Kyiv and the surrounding region remained the epicentre, with residential quarters among the areas hit directly by cruise missiles and drones. At least 80 apartment buildings sustained damage, and emergency services reported 27 fires, three of which were still being extinguished at the time of publication.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that among the dead were three children from one family in Zhytomyr region. Their parents were hospitalised, with the mother in critical condition. The overall casualty figure, based on early estimates, exceeds 70.
“This was a continuation of the previous night’s attack,” said Ukrainian analysts, pointing to a deliberate escalation by the Russian military. They noted that the strikes came with no discernible military gain, and were focused on psychological impact—an effort to terrorise the civilian population into political submission.
President Zelenskyy addressed the attack directly, stating that “every such Russian terrorist strike is reason enough for new sanctions.” In a message issued via Telegram, he warned that the ongoing silence from Western leaders, particularly the United States, is emboldening the Kremlin. “Russia delays this war and continues killing daily. The world may go into the weekend—but the war does not stop. Silence from America and others only encourages Putin.”
Zelenskyy emphasised that Russia’s economy remains vulnerable and that targeted sanctions remain a key tool for the international community. He added, “Putin must be made to think not about launching missiles, but about ending the war.”
Ukrainian officials also reported that drones launched from Ukraine reached ten regions inside Russia overnight, targeting exclusively military facilities. While air traffic at several Moscow airports was briefly suspended, there were no casualties. Kyiv underlined that its operations are defensive and precise, unlike what it characterises as Russia’s indiscriminate campaign of terror.
Ukrainian analysts contend that the scale and character of Russia’s latest strikes reflect a broader shift in Kremlin strategy. With Russian forces unable to achieve significant territorial gains—particularly in the Donetsk region—Moscow appears to be relying more heavily on large-scale aerial bombardments of civilian areas to exert pressure on Kyiv and wear down public morale.
“The goal is to break our will, to force us to accept Russia’s terms for ending the war,” said one Ukrainian defence source. “But these strikes do not bring them closer to victory. They are only sharpening global awareness of Russia’s intent.”
Kyiv maintains that this growing awareness has yet to result in meaningful political action. The lack of any public response from U.S. President Donald Trump to this and previous overnight attacks has drawn particular criticism. President Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that Putin is “testing the West” and may interpret Washington’s silence as a signal of permissiveness, potentially encouraging further escalation.
Zelenskyy has consistently argued that Ukraine is the frontline of a wider confrontation, and that the failure to respond today could have consequences beyond the region. Ukrainian officials maintain that the Kremlin’s long-term objective remains the dismantling of Ukraine’s sovereignty and its removal from the political map of Europe.
Image: State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Kyiv region
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