Kyiv Rocked by Massive Russian Attacks; Zelenskyy Urges Faster Sanctions

Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, has endured another night of devastating Russian strikes, with two people confirmed dead and more wounded, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to issue a renewed plea to Western allies for swifter and harsher sanctions against Moscow.

"Sanctions must be imposed faster, and pressure on Russia must be strong enough that they truly feel the consequences of their terror," Zelenskyy stated on social media. The Ukrainian Air Defence Force reported intercepting approximately 400 drones and 18 missiles launched by Russia in the early hours of Thursday.

Residents of Kyiv spent several hours sheltering in metro stations, underground passages, and basements as loud booms and explosions reverberated across the city. Many were from Ukraine's air defense units attempting to shoot down the noisy drones, which Ukrainians have nicknamed "mopeds" due to their distinct mechanical whine.

On Thursday morning, Kyiv awoke under a pall of smoke, with one local noting, "Everything was covered with smoke when I walked my dog in the morning." The relentless assault comes just a day after Moscow unleashed its largest missile and drone attack on Ukraine in over three years, which killed at least one civilian, and follows another significant raid on Kyiv last week.

Ukrainian officials are intensifying their efforts to secure further international support. Ukraine's Foreign Minister stated that President Zelenskyy would hold additional meetings with US officials on Thursday at a conference focused on Ukraine's recovery. "The main focus will be on sanctions policy and the adoption of the next package of US sanctions in the near future," the minister posted on Telegram. The conference in Rome aims to address both short-term and long-term reconstruction efforts following Russia's invasion, now in its 40th month.

Meanwhile, a separate diplomatic engagement is set to take place in Kuala Lumpur. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting. This marks their second in-person encounter, occurring as US President Donald Trump expresses growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the protracted conflict in Ukraine.

President Trump, who returned to power this year promising a swift end to the war that began in 2022, had previously adopted a more conciliatory tone toward Moscow, departing from his predecessor Joe Biden's staunch support for Kyiv.

However, following a pause, the US recently resumed some shipments of defensive weapons to Ukraine. This shift was accompanied by unusually direct criticism from Trump directed at Putin, with the US President dismissing the Kremlin leader's statements on moving towards peace as "meaningless." Trump also indicated he is considering supporting legislation that would impose stringent sanctions on Russia, including a 500% tariff on countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.

When questioned about Trump's criticism on Wednesday, the Kremlin responded calmly, stating that Moscow would continue its efforts to mend the "broken" US-Russia relationship.