Russia’s Drone Attacks & Trump’s Peace Talk Doubts

Overnight Drone Attack: Russia launched around 150 drones at Ukraine, targeting multiple regions.
- Casualties: At least 1 person killed, a 14-year-old girl injured in Pavlohrad (central Ukraine), and another person wounded in Odessa (southern Ukraine).
- Ukraine’s Defense: Shot down or blocked 67 drones using electronic jamming.

Striking Drone Factories: Ukraine attacked a Russian drone factory in Yelabuga (Tatarstan region, 655 miles from Ukraine’s border).
- Impact: The factory produces ~300 drones daily, including Iranian-designed “Shahed” drones and Russian “Geran” drones.
- Goal: Disrupt Russia’s ability to launch more attacks.

Meeting Zelensky: Trump briefly met Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, at Pope Francis’ funeral. This was their first meeting since a tense 2025 encounter.
Doubts About Putin: Trump suspects Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, is stalling peace talks to gain battlefield advantages.
- Quote: “Maybe [Putin] doesn’t want to stop the war—he’s just tapping me along.”
- Action Suggestion: Trump proposed tougher sanctions (“banking” or “secondary sanctions”) to pressure Russia.

Escalating Conflict: Drone/missile attacks continue despite global calls for peace.
U.S. Policy Shift: Trump’s criticism of Putin marks a change from his earlier pro-Russia stance. Ukrainians hope this signals stronger U.S. support.
Public Reaction: Some Ukrainians welcomed Trump’s tougher tone, though distrust remains due to his past criticism of Ukraine.

“Too many people are dying!!!”
— Donald Trump on Truth Social, urging faster action to end the war.

“Tapping me along” = Putin might be misleading Trump to buy time for military gains.
Secondary Sanctions = Penalties on countries/banks that do business with Russia, squeezing its economy further.

This conflict remains volatile, with both sides escalating attacks while diplomacy struggles to keep up.