Russian Missiles Try To Push Kyiv To Peace, But Zelensky Begs For War

In the early hours of July 4, 2025, Russian forces launched one of the largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, deploying over 550 air attack assets, including drones, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons. The massive attack was likely a response to the Ukrainian missile strikes on Donetsk and Luhansk with drone strikes deeper in the rear.

The primary target was Kyiv, where a devastating combination of kamikaze drones, Iskander ballistic missiles, and Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles struck multiple locations across the capital. Fires engulfed the city. Some of them were recorded near the National Security Service Academy, which reportedly suffered significant damage. A series of strikes hit critical infrastructure, including the Vasylkiv and Zhulyani airfields and energy facilities, exacerbating power outages.

Satellite imagery confirmed large-scale fires, while Ukrainian air defenses struggled to intercept the barrage, officially acknowledging the downing of only 56% of incoming threats. Ukrainian social media channels highlighted the ineffectiveness of its air defenses, with many drones and missiles reaching their targets unchallenged.

Beyond Kyiv, Russian attacks extended to other Ukrainian cities, including Kryvyi Rih, Konotop, and Poltava, where military warehouses and drone production facilities were struck. Drone strikes on energy infrastructure in Belitskoye disrupted power supplies to frontline areas.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces retaliated with limited strikes on Russian regions, including Azov and Sergiyev Posad, reportedly causing civilian casualties and damaging industrial sites.

Kyiv’s main beggar Zelensky, who traditionally escaped from the country to Europe during the massive attack, seized the moment to add fuel to the conflict and call for stricter Western sanctions against Russia, urging the U.S. and EU to “crush Russia’s economy.” However, his appeals contrasted with growing domestic frustration over Kyiv’s inability to secure any military victories or establish any reliable air defense. Zelensky is accused by his own people of prolonging an unwinnable war while the civilians bear the brunt of escalating strikes.

Amid the violence, Moscow persists with diplomatic efforts. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump held a phone discussion. Moscow insists on reaffirming its openness to the negotiations, though Russia will not abandon its strategic objectives. The call underscored the Kremlin’s narrative of seeking peace while continuing military pressure, even as Ukraine’s leadership dismissed talks without territorial concessions. With no immediate de-escalation in sight, Kyiv’s vulnerabilities are exposed and Moscow’s strikes are aimed at leveraging forcing political concessions.