Russia Fires 574 Drones and 40 Missiles on Ukraine, Hits American Factory Amid Peace Talks

Russia launched 574 drones and 40 missiles against Ukraine overnight in one of its heaviest bombardments this year, Ukraine’s Air Force said Thursday.

Explosions ripped across multiple regions, killing one person in Lviv and injuring 15 others in Transcarpathia. A missile strike there tore into a U.S. electronics manufacturer near Ukraine’s border with Hungary and Slovakia.

“Several cruise missiles were lobbed against an American-owned enterprise in Zakarpattia. It was a regular civilian business, supported by American investment, producing everyday items like coffee machines. And yet, it was also a target for the Russians. This is very telling. The fire at the facility is still being extinguished. As of now, 15 people have been reported injured in the strike – all have received the necessary assistance,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky said.

Ukraine’s defense ministry listed the barrage: 574 Shahed-type drones, 2 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, 4 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, 19 Kh-101 cruise missiles and 14 Kalibr cruise missiles. Air defenders downed 546 drones, a Kinzhal, 12 Kalibrs and 18 Kh-101s.

“Last night, the Russian army set one of its insane anti-records. They targeted civilian infrastructure facilities, residential buildings, and our people,” Zelenskyy said.

More than 20 civilian buildings, including homes and a nursery in Lviv, were damaged.

The strikes came as U.S. President Donald Trump pressed ahead with diplomacy to end the war. Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, then hosted Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington. He initially floated a three-way summit with Putin and Zelenskyy but later backed off: “Now I think it would be better if they met without me... If necessary, I’ll go.”

Zelenskyy said he was ready to meet Putin “in neutral Europe,” pointing to Switzerland, Austria or Istanbul, while rejecting Budapest over Hungary’s ties with Moscow. “There is still no sign from Moscow that they truly intend to engage in substantive negotiations,” he said.

As Moscow escalated, Ukraine struck back. Kyiv said it hit a Russian oil refinery in Rostov, a drone depot in occupied Donetsk and other military targets.

The war has largely stalled on the ground, but Russia’s air assaults have expanded deep into western Ukraine. Since 2022, Moscow has seized about a fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea and much of the Donbas.

Adding to the complexity, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un publicly praised his forces fighting alongside Russian troops in the Kursk region. Intelligence agencies say Pyongyang has sent more than 10,000 soldiers, with hundreds killed. “Our army is now doing what it ought to do and what needs to be done,” Kim said.

With missiles still striking Ukrainian cities and foreign fighters joining Russia’s campaign, Kyiv has repeated its plea for more air defense systems from its allies.