Russia launched its second-largest aerial attack of the war last night, deploying approximately 600 drones and 31 missiles targeting residential areas in Kyiv, resulting in at least 18 civilian deaths, including four children. The strikes also hit civilian trains, EU and British mission council offices, and a Turkish enterprise. Ukrainian military intelligence operatives also conducted an early-morning operation, destroying key infrastructure at the Tver railway junction by remotely detonating explosives planted beneath tanker cars. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan about the attacks and diplomatic steps towards peace, noting that Russia avoids leader-level formats for resolution. Erdoğan is involving Türkiye's Minister of Defense in exploring contributions to Black Sea security. Zelenskyy also reported that security guarantee frameworks will be set on paper next week. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed outrage, stating the attacks would strengthen European unity and Ukrainian defiance, and confirmed a 19th sanctions package against Russia is forthcoming. Earlier in the day, the Hungarian ambassador was summoned to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where a protest note was delivered in response to Hungary's alleged discrimination against the Ukrainian Hungarian minority, specifically citing a ban on a Ukrainian defender of Hungarian descent from entering Hungary. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski reacted to Hungary's actions and invited the individual to Poland, calling it an "absolutely excellent action." In southern Odesa region, the Ukrainian Navy's reconnaissance ship Simferopol was reportedly struck around midnight by a Russian naval drone, with unconfirmed reports suggesting the vessel sustained a major breach and listed to its side. The attack was coordinated by an Orion recon-strike UAV. Fifty-five foreign diplomats visited a residential building in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district destroyed by a Russian strike. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the incident as a "horrific war crime," highlighting the death of a two-year-old girl born during Russia's 2022 attacks who was killed in this latest one. The drones used in the Kyiv attack contained Czech PBS TJ40-G2 engines and German Bosch fuel pumps. Separately, a satellite image showed damage to the Kuybyshevskiy oil refinery in Samara, Russia, after Ukrainian strikes last night, with at least two storage units reported to be on fire. NATO's 2025 estimate of member defense spending indicates all members, except Iceland, are expected to meet the 2% target, with several approaching a new 5% target. Poland leads with an estimated 4.48% of GDP, followed by Lithuania at 4% and Latvia at 3.73%.
