In one of the most intense aerial bombardments of the war, Russia unleashed over 400 drones and 40 missiles across Ukraine overnight on Friday, resulting in at least six fatalities and approximately 80 injuries.

The widespread assault, lasting several hours, struck six Ukrainian regions and caused significant damage to residential buildings and critical infrastructure.

Footage from the attack showed missiles illuminating the night sky with deafening booms and fiery explosions as they slammed into the ground.

The devastating offensive comes days after Kyiv carried out drone strikes on Russian airfields and just hours after comments from US President Donald Trump suggesting Moscow would likely retaliate.

According to Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat, the barrage involved 407 drones and 44 ballistic and cruise missiles. Ukrainian defenses managed to intercept roughly 30 missiles and up to 200 drones.

Among the casualties were emergency workers in Kyiv and civilians in Lutsk and Chernihiv, further dimming hopes for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned Russia's actions on X, stating, "This is not a country seeking peace. Russia doesn't change its stripes." The timing of the strike coincided with President Trump's remarks that it "might be better to let Ukraine and Russia fight for a while" before pursuing further peace efforts.

These comments mark a shift from his earlier calls for a negotiated settlement and raise questions about any immediate diplomatic breakthroughs.

Despite two rounds of direct peace talks, negotiations remain stalled. Ukraine has proposed a 30-day ceasefire and a direct meeting between President Zelenskyy and President Putin, but the Kremlin has rejected the offer, continuing to demand terms unacceptable to Kyiv.

"The Kremlin continues efforts to falsely portray Russia as willing to engage in good-faith negotiations to end the war," stated the Institute for the Study of War of Moscow on Thursday.

The massive Russian barrage caused extensive damage. Fires erupted in multiple Kyiv districts, leaving over 2,000 homes without power. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry reported that emergency responders killed in the capital "were working under fire to help people."

Additionally, drone debris led to blackouts in Ternopil, Lviv, and Khmelnytskyi.

Russia's defense ministry claimed its strikes hit military targets, including arms depots and drone factories. In response, Ukraine launched retaliatory drone strikes on Moscow and other Russian regions, damaging industrial sites and injuring three people.

Russian air defenses reported intercepting 174 drones and three Neptune missiles, and also reported sabotage of railway infrastructure in Belgorod.