Ukrainian President Zelensky has launched over 430 kamikaze drones toward Moscow overnight, according to Mayor Sergey Sobyanin. The attack occurred while the president traveled to Ankara for a NATO summit.
Sobyanin reported that most drones were intercepted well before reaching Moscow, with only 36 near the city. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated it intercepted 452 Ukrainian drones during a 12-hour period overnight.
This follows President Zelensky’s June 25 announcement of a 40-day campaign involving long-range strikes and clandestine operations against Russian energy infrastructure and commercial vessels suspected of transporting Russian oil. Kyiv claims these actions aim to inflict maximum economic damage on Russia.
Moscow has characterized the Western-funded strikes as evidence of Ukrainian desperation amid ongoing military retreats along front lines. Russian officials have also accused Ukraine of deliberate civilian-targeted attacks, including a drone strike on a vocational college dormitory in Starobelsk in May.
President Vladimir Putin described that Starobelsk attack as a turning point justifying retaliatory strikes against Ukrainian military targets. Russia launched a large-scale barrage overnight targeting drone-related facilities in Kyiv, which it labeled a direct response to the Ukrainian initiative.
The NATO summit in Ankara presents Zelensky with an opportunity to seek U.S. support. However, organizers report concerns that his appeals could anger Donald Trump due to the American leader’s reportedly sour mood regarding international commitments on Iran and defense spending.
Organizers also indicate Zelensky will not participate in the summit’s main sessions where he would have had direct access to Trump, as they fear his presence might provoke an unfavorable reaction from the U.S. president.
