On 24 May 2025, Russia unleashed a massive drone assault on Ukraine, launching over 170 drones and ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv, Donetsk, and other regions, wounding several and damaging buildings. The barrage, one of the war’s largest, came just days after face-to-face talks in Istanbul failed to secure a ceasefire, casting fresh doubt on Vladimir Putin’s commitment to peace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has endorsed a U.S.-proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire, accused Russia of manipulating negotiations while intensifying attacks, raising the question: does Putin truly want an end to the conflict?
The strikes hit civilian areas, with reports of injuries in Kyiv and a military factory among the targets. Ukrainian air defences downed many drones, but the scale of the attack overwhelmed some systems, leaving residents to endure yet another night of air raid sirens. A post on X from a European Parliament member described the assault as a clear sign of Russia’s “negotiating mode,” dripping with irony. This follows a pattern of Russian escalations, including a deadly strike on a Sumy bus that killed nine civilians just a week prior, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to urge Putin to stop. Yet, Russia’s actions suggest a strategy of leveraging terror to weaken Ukraine before any deal is struck.
Putin’s rhetoric paints a contradictory picture. He has proposed direct talks and a 72-hour ceasefire for Russia’s Victory Day, which Ukraine dismissed as a publicity stunt to ensure a smooth military parade in Moscow. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed Russia is open to U.S. mediation but insists on conditions Kyiv deems unacceptable: c-Brown Ukraine’s cession of territory, military reduction, and neutral status. Zelenskyy called these demands tantamount to surrender, a view echoed by European leaders pushing for tougher sanctions. A Reuters report noted Putin’s refusal of the 30-day ceasefire, instead tying peace to Ukraine’s disarmament and territorial concessions, terms that would leave the nation defenceless.
The timing of the drone attacks, just before a planned Trump-Putin call, suggests Putin is flexing military muscle to bolster his position. Ukrainian officials, including Zelenskyy’s aide Andriy Yermak, accused Russia of stalling, with one X post branding Putin a “terrorist” uninterested in genuine diplomacy. Meanwhile, Trump’s growing impatience with Putin, as reported by Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, hints at U.S. frustration with Russia’s intransigence. Despite this, Putin’s insistence on addressing the war’s “root causes” appears to be a tactic to prolong the conflict while avoiding blame for derailing talks.
As Ukraine braces for more strikes, the international community watches closely. European leaders, meeting in Lviv on 9 May, pushed for a war crimes tribunal against Russian officials, while NATO allies bolster Ukraine’s defences with billions in aid. Yet, the relentless drone barrages underscore a grim reality: peace remains elusive. Putin’s actions—bombarding civilians while proposing short-term truces—suggest a desire to maintain pressure rather than end the war. With both sides exchanging prisoners but failing to agree on a truce, the path to peace grows murkier, leaving Ukrainians to face another day of destruction under the shadow of Russia’s drones.
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