CNN
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The Russian strike struck the Russian capital Kiev overnight until Friday, hours after President Donald Trump said “no progress” in the ceasefire contract during a call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Eight people were injured in the attack over the next few hours, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s junta.
Earlier on Friday morning, the Ukrainian Air Force said several missiles were launched towards Kiev and warned about ballistic missiles approaching the capital. Shortly afterwards, a huge explosion was heard in the city.
Heavy smoke fills the air in some areas of the city centre, with drones being heard overhead, according to CNN journalists.
In recent weeks, Russia has launched close-range air attacks on Ukraine, including hundreds of missiles and drones. Earlier this week, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said in June alone that Russia fired more than 330 missiles against Ukraine, including around 80 ballistic missiles, 5,000 combat drones and 5,000 sliding bombs.
On Thursday, Trump made a nearly hour-long call with Putin before expressing his dissatisfaction over the ceasefire negotiations.
“We called. It was a pretty long call. We talked about a lot of things, including Iran. And, as you know, we talked about the war with Ukraine,” Trump said. “I’m not happy about it.”
Trump was asked if he felt he had made progress with Putin in his deal with Ukraine. He added, “I made no progress with him today.”
A strike will arise when the Trump administration suspends the shipment of weapons to Ukraine, including air defense missiles, following a review of military spending and US support to foreign countries.
Trump said a decision has been made to protect US stockpiles.
The US has been the largest donor of military aid to Ukraine since Russia began a full-scale invasion in 2022, supplying Ukraine with air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, radar, tanks and anti-armor weapons, raising concerns about a decline in US inventory.
However, the balance of aid to Ukraine has changed significantly since Trump returned to power, bringing questions about the future of US support for Kiev.
Citing Kremlin aides, Trump and Putin did not discuss the suspension of shipments to Ukraine during their calls. But Trump ended the war “as soon as possible.” According to Tas, Putin replied that Russia would not “retreat” from its war goals in Ukraine.
