Russia launches largest drone strikes of war

Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to press his war in Ukraine

(NBC)- Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to press his war in Ukraine, launching the largest wave of drone and missile strikes against civilian targets since the conflict began.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the weekend assault involved 805 drones and decoys along with at least 13 different types of missiles. For the first time in the war, one of Kyiv’s main government buildings was damaged in the attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes in a message posted to social media platform X, calling the killings “a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war” at a time when diplomacy could have already begun.

The escalation comes as Russia has carried out increasingly massive strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, raising doubts about President Trump’s ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the war. European allies have openly suggested that Putin may be using negotiations to buy time.

Trump has repeatedly pledged to increase pressure on Putin if it becomes clear he is not serious about peace. While the president has expressed growing frustration with his Russian counterpart, the White House has so far stopped short of imposing tougher measures.

On Sunday, Trump said he is prepared to move forward with a new round of sanctions on Russia, though he did not specify what those sanctions would include or when they might take effect. He also indicated plans to speak with Putin “very soon.”