Russia Launches Largest Aerial Assault on Ukraine Amid Claims of Assassination Attempt on Putin

The Kremlin has accused Ukraine of attempting to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that a swarm of drones targeted his helicopter during a visit to the contested Kursk region last week. In response, Russia launched its largest aerial assault of the war, pounding Kyiv and surrounding regions with waves of missiles and drones, killing at least 12 civilians and injuring more than 60.

According to Russian military officials, the incident occurred on May 20 as Putin flew by helicopter over Kursk, a region recently retaken from Ukrainian forces, writes The Kyiv Independent. Yury Dashkin, commander of an air defense unit stationed in the area, alleged that an “unprecedented” drone attack was intercepted mid-flight, saving the president’s life. The claims were aired Sunday on state broadcaster Russia 1, though no independent verification of the attack has been provided.

Moscow framed the incident as a deliberate attempt by Ukraine to sabotage fragile peace negotiations—talks that, after months of stalemate, had recently resumed in Istanbul with U.S. mediation. By waiting several days to announce the alleged attempt, the Kremlin has invited speculation that it may be using the episode to justify a dramatic escalation of its war effort and to seize diplomatic leverage at a critical moment.

The Russian response came swiftly and with brutal force, wrote the BBC. Overnight on May 25, Russia rained down 298 drones and 69 missiles on Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine—its most extensive assault since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. The attack coincided with Kyiv Day, a local holiday celebrating the capital, intensifying the psychological and symbolic toll of the strike. Ukraine’s Air Force said it intercepted 45 cruise missiles and destroyed 266 drones, but numerous residential areas were struck, leaving homes in ruins and entire neighborhoods in flames.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed that three children were among the dead, and emergency crews continue to pull survivors from the wreckage. Just one night earlier, Kyiv endured another major bombardment, compounding the devastation and underscoring the relentlessness of the campaign.

While the scale of the assault suggests a calculated show of force, it also reflects broader strategic shifts. On May 24, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the capture of three more Ukrainian settlements—Stupochky in Donetsk, Otradne, and Loknya in the Sumy region near the Russian border. Moscow has framed these advances as part of a broader effort to establish a buffer zone to shield its territory from the intensifying Ukrainian drone campaign, which saw a record 1,177 drones intercepted over Russian soil between May 20 and 22, according to Russian defense sources.

Trump responded to the escalation by Putin “crazy.” Speaking to reporters in New Jersey before boarding Air Force One, noted The New York Times, the president said he was “not happy” with Mr. Putin escalating his attacks while the two countries negotiate a cease-fire deal to bring the three-year war to an end.

“He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,” Mr. Trump said. “I’ve known him a long time. Always gotten along with him. But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

He added, “We’re in the middle of talking, and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities.”

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