Putin promises revenge after Ukraine unleashes 'pure hell' drone blitz on Moscow

Putin has threatened fresh attacks on Kyiv after a major Ukrainian drone operation targeted Moscow and other areas across the country.

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the G7 summit, Kyiv launched hundreds of drones towards Russia, including strikes aimed at the Moscow Oil Refinery.

Footage shared online showed thick black smoke billowing above the Russian capital, with one resident describing the scene as “pure hell”.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said air defences had intercepted 194 drones approaching the city, while the Russian Defence Ministry claimed more than 550 Ukrainian drones had been shot down across the country.

In response, Moscow vowed to continue carrying out “massive group strikes” on Kyiv.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: “It is no coincidence that the President announced some time ago, after another stunt by the Kyiv terrorists, that we would now carry out massive group strikes on a regular basis.

“This task has been set by the supreme commander-in-chief, and our armed forces are fulfilling it and will continue to fulfil it,” he added.

Ukraine launched strikes

Mr Zelensky described the drone attacks as a “completely justified” response to Russian strikes carried out earlier this week, reports GB News

The Ukrainian President said Russian drones had damaged the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which he described as “Ukraine’s holiest site” and a place of significance to the Orthodox Catholic Church.

“It is time the war ended, and Russia must take the necessary steps in diplomacy,” Mr Zelensky said.

In a Telegram message, he warned that Ukraine would require at least 300 additional missiles and a winter fuel assistance package if the conflict continued through the winter.

Mr Zelensky also renewed his call for Ukraine to be fast-tracked into the European Union, describing membership as the “most important” step towards securing the country’s future defence.

Are European leaders pushing for talks?

Voices within the bloc have called for negotiations with Mr Putin as part of efforts to end the conflict.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker told the Financial Times that wars are ended through “successful diplomacy”.

“And for diplomacy to be successful, you need conversations, you need negotiations, and those channels need to be opened first,” he said.

What is Putin doing while tensions rise?

The Russian leader is currently hosting a summit involving ASEAN nations.

Mr Putin has been meeting representatives from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam.

“It is a strategic partnership that serves as an essential stabilizing factor in the Asia-Pacific amidst geopolitical turbulence, contributing to the formation of a balanced security architecture and equitable mutually beneficial cooperation,” Mr Putin said from Kazan.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has also called for peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Before signing the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, the US President met Mr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron in what Ukraine’s leader described as a “coordinating conversation”.

“I am grateful to President Trump for his attention to Ukraine and for his readiness to help bring peace closer. I am grateful to Emmanuel for the excellent organisation of the summit and the consistently strong joint work,” Mr Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

The Kremlin later claimed European leaders had likely “pumped” Mr Trump with “harmful ideas”.

Foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said the American President had been misinformed about developments in Ukraine and added that Moscow was still expecting visits from US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.