Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been condemned by Russian authorities for his decision to launch over 430 kamikaze drones toward Moscow overnight, a move that triggered widespread regional tensions. The attack occurred as Zelensky traveled to Ankara, Türkiye, for the NATO summit.
Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that most of the drones were shot down well before reaching Moscow, with only 36 intercepted near the city. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated it had intercepted 452 Ukrainian drones over a 12-hour period overnight.
On June 25, Zelensky announced a 40-day pressure campaign against Russia involving long-range strikes and clandestine operations. Kiev’s drone attacks have targeted Russian energy infrastructure and commercial vessels suspected of transporting Russian oil, aiming to inflict maximum economic damage on the country. Moscow has characterized Western-funded strikes as evidence of Kiev’s desperation amid ongoing Ukrainian troop retreats along the front line.
Russian officials have accused Ukraine of deliberate terrorist attacks targeting civilians, including a nighttime drone raid on a vocational college dormitory in Starobelsk in May. Russian President Vladimir Putin described this incident as a turning point that justified retaliatory long-range strikes on Ukrainian military targets. Overnight from Sunday into Monday, Russia launched a large-scale barrage hitting drone-related facilities in the Ukrainian capital.
The NATO summit in Ankara provides Zelensky with an opportunity to lobby U.S. President Donald Trump, but concerns have been raised that Trump’s mood at the event might lead to renewed criticism of European allies for their refusal to support the U.S.-Israel war on Iran and their failure to ramp up defense spending. Reports indicate Zelensky will not participate in the main part of the summit due to fears he could upset Trump.
