728 drones, 13 missiles: Ukraine faces massive strike as US policy shifts

The overnight attack hit several cities, including Lutsk, Lviv, and Rivne, leaving destruction even in areas that had previously seen less bombardment.
Ukraine has been struck by the most intense aerial assault since the start of the war, with President Volodymyr Zelensky revealing that 728 drones and 13 cruise or ballistic missiles were fired across the country in multiple waves.
The overnight attack hit several cities, including Lutsk, Lviv, and Rivne, leaving destruction even in areas that had previously seen less bombardment.
Zelensky described the attack as a deliberate provocation. “It comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace, to establish a ceasefire, and yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all,” he said.
The escalation followed fresh remarks from US President Donald Trump, who reversed a recent suspension of military aid to Ukraine and openly criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov downplayed the comments, saying, “Trump’s way of talking is generally quite harsh, the phrases he uses.”
Despite frequent communication between the two leaders, efforts to broker a ceasefire remain stalled. Trump, who had earlier promised to end the war within a day of taking office, recently admitted that his talks with Putin had been fruitless.
“He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it’s no good,” Trump said last week after a phone call with the Russian leader.
Trump's administration had recently paused military assistance to Ukraine, reportedly on the orders of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Elbridge Colby, the under-secretary of defence for policy.
But on Tuesday, when asked who made the decision, Trump,seated next to Hegseth, responded, “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”
The reversal now opens the door for the possible delivery of 10 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, a move reported by US outlet Axios. The missiles are a critical part of Ukraine’s defence against intensifying drone and missile strikes.
Trump also said he is “looking at” a sanctions proposal introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, which would impose tariffs of up to 500% on nations trading with Russia.
While Trump has spoken about sanctions since taking office in January, he has yet to impose any. In June, he had questioned their cost and hinted at waiting to see if peace talks would succeed.
Even so, he indicated last week that sanctions may still be on the table. “He understands it may be coming,” Trump said, referring to Putin.
As Ukraine continues to endure relentless attacks, Russian authorities said on Tuesday that a Ukrainian drone strike on the Kursk region killed three people and injured seven. A five-year-old boy later died from his wounds.
No part of Ukraine has been spared, but Tuesday's assault heavily targeted Lutsk, a key logistics hub just 90 kilometres from the Polish border. The city plays a vital role in receiving and distributing humanitarian and military aid.
Zelensky, who is currently in Rome for the Ukraine Recovery Conference, met with Pope Leo and is expected to hold talks with US envoy Keith Kellogg.
European leaders attending the event include German Chancellor Friederich Merz, who said that diplomatic efforts had been exhausted and pledged more air defence support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russia’s offensive in eastern Ukraine shows no signs of slowing down. “We are moving forward,” said Peskov. “Each new day the Ukrainians have to accept the new realities.”