Russia Intensifies Assaults; Ukraine Seeks Western Aid

Russia has carried out one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent months, launching over 20 missiles and more than 420 explosive drones, which killed at least two people and injured over a dozen, including a child, and damaged civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. The attacks struck a subway station, residential buildings, and a kindergarten, highlighting vulnerabilities in Ukraine's air defense. On the eastern front, Ukrainian forces continue to hold firm against Russian assaults near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, as Russian troops mass in the region and threaten logistics routes. Western allies, led by the U.K. and Germany, are coordinating with U.S. officials to expedite military aid in response to President Trump's 50-day ceasefire ultimatum. Amid the escalation, Ukraine has proposed new direct ceasefire talks with Russia, which Moscow has acknowledged, though major differences remain. Russia is leveraging increased drone production and continued pressure along the front lines to intensify its offensive.