Russia launched a large overnight attack on Ukraine on Monday, firing 16 ballistic missiles along with cruise missiles and drones at Kyiv and the surrounding region. According to President Zelenskyy, 10 energy facilities were hit, cutting power to about 550,000 households. At least one person was killed. Ukraine’s Air Force reported strikes on 25 locations. Air defenses reportedly downed or suppressed 243 of the 269 Shahed drones and four missiles. A medical facility and a Kyiv metro station were also reportedly hit.
Zelenskyy said the attack came in several waves and that “once again, there was no early warning from our partners.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that Washington had paused any intelligence sharing, saying “There’s been no pause.” Ukraine relies heavily on US intelligence to detect fast-moving ballistic missiles.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it hit a data center, drone and missile logistics hubs, a train depot and a bulk carrier in the Black Sea that it claimed was carrying military cargo. Ukraine has not confirmed those targets.
Source: AFP, Reuters, AP
So What
Washington is unlikely to admit it, but the missing warnings are possibly a quiet way for the Trump administration to punish Kyiv for continuing to strike Russian oil refineries. It is also possible the gaps are technical or tied to how the attacks were timed. Either way, it is likely this will keep happening while Zelenskyy and Trump argue over how to end the war. The core facts have not changed. Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is defending itself, and Putin is a war criminal.
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