• Russia launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine, deploying 273 drones and decoys.
• One woman was killed and several others injured in the strikes on multiple regions, including Kyiv.
• The drone assault occurred just before a scheduled call between Presidents Trump and Putin.

Russia has executed one of its largest drone assaults since the invasion of Ukraine, launching a total of 273 explosive drones and decoys across various regions, notably targeting Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk. This attack resulted in the death of a 28-year-old woman and injuries to three others, including a child. Ukrainian air defense managed to intercept 88 drones while an additional 128 became ineffective due to electronic interference, according to Indiatimes, BBC, and New York Times.

The assault by Russia reportedly aimed to showcase military strength just a day prior to a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who discussed potential ceasefire negotiations. Ukraine's air force emphasized the severity of the attack, asserting that it reflected Russia's unwillingness to cease hostilities. The previous record for drone launches by Russia was 267 drones, marked on the war's third anniversary, according to ABC News, Indiatimes, and BBC.

Ukrainian officials lamented that despite recent peace talks in Turkey, which provided a framework for a prisoner swap, significant progress towards a ceasefire has yet to be realized. President Zelensky's appeal for direct negotiations was met with Putin's dismissal of presidential-level talks, instead suggesting lower-level discussions. This ongoing conflict reflects heightened tensions and international discord regarding the situation in Ukraine, as articulated by Andriy Yermak, a senior aid to Zelensky, who stated, "For Russia, the negotiations in Istanbul are just a pretence," according to New York Times, ABC News, and BBC.