Russia escalates airstrikes! The largest drone strike in history bombards the Ukrainian capital, with government buildings suffering their first major damage.
2025-09-08 11:44:28
According to Dow Jones Newswires, this past weekend, Russia launched its largest airstrike against Ukraine since the conflict erupted three and a half years ago. This attack not only broke the record for the number of drone sorties deployed in a single night, but also marked the first direct hit on a government building in central Kyiv. This sudden airstrike not only claimed the lives of innocent civilians but also further heightened international tensions, highlighting the elusive nature of peace talks. Ukraine denounced this as a deliberate escalation by Russia, while Western countries called for increased pressure on the Kremlin.
The intensity of Russia's air strike was shocking. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the enemy launched a total of 13 missiles and dispatched more than 800 attack drones, setting a record for the highest number of drones deployed in a single attack in the history of war.
The drones and missiles swarmed towns and cities across Ukraine, targeting eastern, southern and central regions, including Krivykh, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Ukraine's air defense system performed well in the emergency response, successfully intercepting four of the missiles and nearly 500 drones, but some firepower still broke through the defense line and caused serious damage.
The attack began last Saturday evening and continued throughout the night, with sirens blaring in the center of Kyiv and residents fleeing in panic in the darkness.
As the capital of Ukraine, Kiev should have been the area with the strictest air defense, but it suffered heavy damage in this attack.
For the first time, a government building in the city center, the Cabinet of Ministers, was targeted. The roof and two top floors of this massive, crescent-shaped structure, just feet from the presidential offices, were severely damaged in the explosion.
Photos released by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svirizenko clearly showed the devastating damage to the building, with debris scattered across the ground and plumes of dust billowing. The mayor of Kyiv reported that the attack tragically killed a young woman and her two-month-old baby, who had been living in a peaceful neighborhood, while they slept.
Several apartment buildings were also damaged, including one four-story building that collapsed completely. Rescue workers worked from early Sunday morning into the afternoon, clearing concrete and glass fragments from the rubble floor by floor. Residents shared food beside the rubble, and teenagers played soccer in a fenced-in yard, trying to find a glimmer of normalcy amidst the grief. But the constant clamor of rescue workers was unforgettable.
In a damaged neighborhood in Kyiv, 49-year-old Yulia Kharitonenko recounted her mother-in-law's terrifying experience. The 79-year-old woman, after hearing the air raid sirens, walked to the stairs to check on her neighbors. At that moment, an attack drone struck. Had she remained in her bedroom, she would likely have perished. "She miraculously survived," Kharitonenko said, her voice trembling as she pointed to the windows being cleared by rescue workers.
Another 60-year-old man recalled a terrifying moment at 3:30 a.m. when he woke up in his underwear to find his room filled with dust and a fire next door. He grabbed a shirt with his passport in the pocket and tried to rescue his dozen cats, but only managed to get out four.
"I'm so lucky I'm alive I don't even know how I got here," he lamented. Both the man and Kharitonenko mentioned that the young woman and her newborn had moved in just two months prior, and they had just finished renovating the apartment across the stairs, never expecting such a fate. These survivors' stories reveal not only the brutality of the attack but also the resilience and despair of the Ukrainian people in the face of a protracted war, as they watch international negotiations and plead for more weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly condemned the attack on social media, writing: "The killing taking place at this moment, which could have been avoided long ago through genuine diplomacy, has become a deliberate crime and a prolongation of war."
He also mentioned that Washington has repeatedly warned that refusing to negotiate would lead to sanctions. Foreign Minister Andrei Serbiga said the bombing of government areas marked a "serious escalation" by Russia.
European allies responded quickly, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying: "Once again, the Kremlin is making a mockery of diplomacy, trampling on international law and killing innocent people."
French President Emmanuel Macron announced last Thursday that 26 countries were ready to contribute peacekeeping forces, including thousands of ground troops, if a ceasefire was agreed, but Russian President Vladimir Putin responded at an economic forum in Vladivostok that those forces would be "legitimate targets for destruction."
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed disappointment with the progress of negotiations after his meeting with Putin in Alaska. He said on Tuesday that he was "very disappointed" with Putin and has imposed sanctions on India to restrict its purchases of Russian oil.
When asked at the White House on Sunday whether to enter the second phase of sanctions, Trump answered affirmatively: "Yes." These international developments show that when the attack occurred, peace talks had reached a deadlock, and the peace deadline set by Trump had passed, but no additional sanctions had been imposed on Russia.
Zelensky has long called on the West to provide more powerful air defense systems, particularly the U.S. Patriot system that can intercept ballistic missiles, which became particularly urgent as Russian air strikes intensified throughout the summer.
Although the Ukrainian army successfully repelled a Russian offensive along a 600-mile front in the summer, it is unable to advance further due to shortages of weapons and manpower, especially infantry. Many Ukrainians, like the surviving man, believe that "Russia will not make a deal with anyone" and are pinning their hopes on more Western aid to turn the tide of the war.
This, Russia's largest-ever drone strike, is not only a military escalation but also a continuation of a human tragedy. It exposes the persistence and brutality of war and prompts the international community to reflect on the failure of diplomatic efforts. Faced with the escalating conflict, Ukrainians persevere amidst the ruins, while global attention is focused on whether new sanctions and peacekeeping operations will break the deadlock. Only through concrete diplomacy and support can this three-and-a-half-year-long conflict find a way forward; otherwise, more innocent lives will be lost.
Oil prices, a bellwether for the energy market, are highly sensitive to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia's oil production remains stable at 7.5 million barrels per day, but its exports are heavily dependent on Asian buyers. The attack has exacerbated concerns about global supply constraints. Furthermore, driven by the weekend slowdown in OPEC+'s production increases, international oil prices rose by over 1% in Asian trading on Monday, with US crude reaching a high of $62.70 per barrel, recovering some of the losses from Friday.
From the perspective of channels, this attack pushed up oil prices through three paths: first, direct supply interruption. If Russia retaliates by cutting off natural gas to Europe (accounting for 40% of the EU's demand), it will force Europe to turn to oil-based power generation, amplifying demand; second, intensified speculative activities. Within the war event window, WTI and Brent price fluctuations can reach more than 70%, and traders panic buy futures; third, OPEC+'s response is uncertain. Although Saudi Arabia and other countries plan to increase production, if Russia's production is restricted, the global balance will be broken.
However, in the medium to long term, if Trump's tariffs hit global economic growth (particularly demand from major Asian economies), oil prices could fall due to weakening demand, and OPEC+ production increases would also provide a buffer. Overall, while oil prices are bullish in the short term, investors should be wary of increased volatility. They should monitor Russian export data and details of US sanctions.
At 11:42 Beijing time, the main contract of U.S. crude oil is currently trading at US$62.62 per barrel.
The scale of the attack was unprecedented, and the air defense system made every effort to intercept it.
The intensity of Russia's air strike was shocking. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the enemy launched a total of 13 missiles and dispatched more than 800 attack drones, setting a record for the highest number of drones deployed in a single attack in the history of war.
The drones and missiles swarmed towns and cities across Ukraine, targeting eastern, southern and central regions, including Krivykh, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Ukraine's air defense system performed well in the emergency response, successfully intercepting four of the missiles and nearly 500 drones, but some firepower still broke through the defense line and caused serious damage.
The attack began last Saturday evening and continued throughout the night, with sirens blaring in the center of Kyiv and residents fleeing in panic in the darkness.
Tragedy in the capital: Civilian deaths and damage to government buildings
As the capital of Ukraine, Kiev should have been the area with the strictest air defense, but it suffered heavy damage in this attack.
For the first time, a government building in the city center, the Cabinet of Ministers, was targeted. The roof and two top floors of this massive, crescent-shaped structure, just feet from the presidential offices, were severely damaged in the explosion.
Photos released by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svirizenko clearly showed the devastating damage to the building, with debris scattered across the ground and plumes of dust billowing. The mayor of Kyiv reported that the attack tragically killed a young woman and her two-month-old baby, who had been living in a peaceful neighborhood, while they slept.
Several apartment buildings were also damaged, including one four-story building that collapsed completely. Rescue workers worked from early Sunday morning into the afternoon, clearing concrete and glass fragments from the rubble floor by floor. Residents shared food beside the rubble, and teenagers played soccer in a fenced-in yard, trying to find a glimmer of normalcy amidst the grief. But the constant clamor of rescue workers was unforgettable.
Survivors recall: miraculous escape and endless fear
In a damaged neighborhood in Kyiv, 49-year-old Yulia Kharitonenko recounted her mother-in-law's terrifying experience. The 79-year-old woman, after hearing the air raid sirens, walked to the stairs to check on her neighbors. At that moment, an attack drone struck. Had she remained in her bedroom, she would likely have perished. "She miraculously survived," Kharitonenko said, her voice trembling as she pointed to the windows being cleared by rescue workers.
Another 60-year-old man recalled a terrifying moment at 3:30 a.m. when he woke up in his underwear to find his room filled with dust and a fire next door. He grabbed a shirt with his passport in the pocket and tried to rescue his dozen cats, but only managed to get out four.
"I'm so lucky I'm alive I don't even know how I got here," he lamented. Both the man and Kharitonenko mentioned that the young woman and her newborn had moved in just two months prior, and they had just finished renovating the apartment across the stairs, never expecting such a fate. These survivors' stories reveal not only the brutality of the attack but also the resilience and despair of the Ukrainian people in the face of a protracted war, as they watch international negotiations and plead for more weapons.
International reaction: Escalating accusations and growing calls for sanctions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly condemned the attack on social media, writing: "The killing taking place at this moment, which could have been avoided long ago through genuine diplomacy, has become a deliberate crime and a prolongation of war."
He also mentioned that Washington has repeatedly warned that refusing to negotiate would lead to sanctions. Foreign Minister Andrei Serbiga said the bombing of government areas marked a "serious escalation" by Russia.
European allies responded quickly, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying: "Once again, the Kremlin is making a mockery of diplomacy, trampling on international law and killing innocent people."
French President Emmanuel Macron announced last Thursday that 26 countries were ready to contribute peacekeeping forces, including thousands of ground troops, if a ceasefire was agreed, but Russian President Vladimir Putin responded at an economic forum in Vladivostok that those forces would be "legitimate targets for destruction."
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed disappointment with the progress of negotiations after his meeting with Putin in Alaska. He said on Tuesday that he was "very disappointed" with Putin and has imposed sanctions on India to restrict its purchases of Russian oil.
When asked at the White House on Sunday whether to enter the second phase of sanctions, Trump answered affirmatively: "Yes." These international developments show that when the attack occurred, peace talks had reached a deadlock, and the peace deadline set by Trump had passed, but no additional sanctions had been imposed on Russia.
Ukraine's demands: Strengthen air defense and rebuild the army
Zelensky has long called on the West to provide more powerful air defense systems, particularly the U.S. Patriot system that can intercept ballistic missiles, which became particularly urgent as Russian air strikes intensified throughout the summer.
Although the Ukrainian army successfully repelled a Russian offensive along a 600-mile front in the summer, it is unable to advance further due to shortages of weapons and manpower, especially infantry. Many Ukrainians, like the surviving man, believe that "Russia will not make a deal with anyone" and are pinning their hopes on more Western aid to turn the tide of the war.
This, Russia's largest-ever drone strike, is not only a military escalation but also a continuation of a human tragedy. It exposes the persistence and brutality of war and prompts the international community to reflect on the failure of diplomatic efforts. Faced with the escalating conflict, Ukrainians persevere amidst the ruins, while global attention is focused on whether new sanctions and peacekeeping operations will break the deadlock. Only through concrete diplomacy and support can this three-and-a-half-year-long conflict find a way forward; otherwise, more innocent lives will be lost.
Oil prices, a bellwether for the energy market, are highly sensitive to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia's oil production remains stable at 7.5 million barrels per day, but its exports are heavily dependent on Asian buyers. The attack has exacerbated concerns about global supply constraints. Furthermore, driven by the weekend slowdown in OPEC+'s production increases, international oil prices rose by over 1% in Asian trading on Monday, with US crude reaching a high of $62.70 per barrel, recovering some of the losses from Friday.
From the perspective of channels, this attack pushed up oil prices through three paths: first, direct supply interruption. If Russia retaliates by cutting off natural gas to Europe (accounting for 40% of the EU's demand), it will force Europe to turn to oil-based power generation, amplifying demand; second, intensified speculative activities. Within the war event window, WTI and Brent price fluctuations can reach more than 70%, and traders panic buy futures; third, OPEC+'s response is uncertain. Although Saudi Arabia and other countries plan to increase production, if Russia's production is restricted, the global balance will be broken.
However, in the medium to long term, if Trump's tariffs hit global economic growth (particularly demand from major Asian economies), oil prices could fall due to weakening demand, and OPEC+ production increases would also provide a buffer. Overall, while oil prices are bullish in the short term, investors should be wary of increased volatility. They should monitor Russian export data and details of US sanctions.
At 11:42 Beijing time, the main contract of U.S. crude oil is currently trading at US$62.62 per barrel.
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