Russian aggression escalates as attack in Kyiv leaves 12 dead; Trump demands Putin to halt these actions

Rewritten Article:

Russia bombed Kyiv mercilessly last night, killing at least a dozen people in the most significant attack on the Ukrainian capital this year. This attack, condemned by U.S. President Donald Trump as "not necessary" and "poorly timed," left 90 wounded, demolished buildings, and sparked fires.

Trump, urging a truce, told Vladimir Putin, "Vladimir, enough is enough!" He went on to say that negotiations are making progress, with Russia expressing a willingness to "put a stop to this war and seize control of the entire country."

The president emphasized that the coming days would be critical and that he expected a peace deal to be imminent. However, he also mentioned that pressure was being applied to both Russia and Ukraine.

The attack on Kyiv, a sign of escalating tensions, took place during a crucial moment in Russia's war on Ukraine, which started with Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Both nations are exerting effort to show Trump their commitment toward his objective of swiftly ending hostilities.

Trump, using Truth Social, voiced his displeasure to Putin: "I am not happy with Russia bombing KYIV. This is unnecessary, and it is terrible timing! Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let's get the Peace Deal signed!"

The White House has threatened to abandon the peace process if no progress is made soon. Trump admonished Zelenskyy on Wednesday after the Ukrainian leader reiterated that Kyiv would not acknowledge Russia's occupation of Crimea.

The Russian president's more gentle tone in Trump's statements contrasts with Trump's sharp remarks towards Zelenskyy, at one point labeling him a "dictator." Trump's special envoy is scheduled to meet Putin on Friday to discuss the issue further.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio decided to skip talks in London between U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials due to American discontent over Zelenskyy's comment about Crimea. Trump later stated that it would be extremely challenging for Ukraine to reclaim Crimea.

The London talks, though proceeded in a diminished format, went ahead as planned. Zelenskyy, after cutting short his trip to South Africa following the Russian strike, expressed skepticism about the level of pressure being exerted on Russia by the U.S.

"I can hear mobile phones ringing beneath the rubble," stated emergency services as they worked at 13 sites in Kyiv, accompanied by climbing specialists and sniffer dogs. A total of 40 fires were reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry declared that they had carried out a massive overnight strike on Ukraine's military-industrial complex using air, land, and sea-based long-range high-precision weapons and drones.

Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the Kyiv city military administration, reported 12 fatalities. A Kyiv resident, Viktoria Bakal, shared her harrowing experience: "The air raid siren warned us, but we barely had time to get dressed and flee. One blast followed another. All windows were shattered, doors destroyed, my husband and son were thrown across the room."

Zelenskyy revealed that Russia might have used a North Korean ballistic missile during the attack, citing preliminary data. Ukrainian military sources had earlier reported that a residential building in the Sviatoshynskyi district, west of Kyiv's center, was struck by a North Korean KN-23 (KN-23A) ballistic missile.

Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 145 drones and 70 missiles, including 11 ballistic missiles, during the overnight attack. Air defense units were successful in shooting down 112 targets.

Apart from Kyiv and the surrounding region, seven other regions also faced "mass" attacks, according to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. Damage was reported in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Zhytomyr region west of Kyiv, and Pavlohrad, located in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.

Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko shared that significant progress has been made regarding a critical minerals agreement between Ukraine and the U.S., but it will "most certainly not" be completed this week.

The continued war-and-conflicts between Russia and Ukraine have led to a surge in general-news coverage, with the recent attack on Kyiv being a significant example.
In the midst of these tensions, U.S. politics are also playing a crucial role, as President Donald Trump is urging Vladimir Putin to put an end to the violence and to seize control of the entire country.
Trump's call for a truce comes after a series of car-accidents and building demolitions in Kyiv, with at least a dozen people confirmed dead and 90 injured in the latest attack.
The attacks have been condemned by international leaders, including Trump, who has expressed his concern about the increasing crime-and-justice issues resulting from the war.
Despite Trump's pressure, the Russian president's willingness to stop the war and control the country seems to be influenced by political considerations, as well as strategic interests in Northeastern Ukraine's minerals reserves.
As the peace process continues, there are also concerns about accidental incidents due to the high volume of military activity, both on the ground and in the air, such as the reported use of North Korean ballistic missiles in the recent attacks.