President Donald Trump has called on Ukraine to adopt a more offensive stance, declaring that Kyiv needs to “fight back” after Russia launched one of the largest aerial assaults of the war, involving 574 drones and 40 missiles.
The massive strike, which also hit a US-owned electronics factory in western Ukraine, has been condemned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “outrageous”.
President Trump’s advice for Ukraine came as he launched a fiery tirade against his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not providing Ukraine with more of the weaponry it needs to “fight back.” He concluded by saying there were “interesting times ahead!”.
His comments came as Ukrainian officials confirmed that the attack had struck a civilian American-owned facility, Flex, which produces household items like coffee machines. The assault injured at least 15 people and caused significant damage.
President Zelensky described the deliberate targeting of the American investment as “telling”, suggesting it reflected Moscow’s disregard for current peace initiatives. “They used several cruise missiles against an American enterprise in Zakarpattia. It was an ordinary civilian enterprise, American investments. They produced such common household items as coffee machines. And this was also a target for the Russians,” Mr Zelensky stated.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, reinforced the condemnation, noting: “A fully civilian facility that has nothing to do with defence or the military. This is not the first Russian attack on American businesses in Ukraine, after strikes on Boeing offices in Kyiv earlier this year and other attacks.”
The aerial barrage, which triggered large fires and emergency responses, represents a significant escalation as Moscow continues to resist key elements of international peace proposals.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials confirmed that military chiefs from America and several European nations have developed new military options for Ukraine, which will be presented to national security advisers for consideration.
The attack and its geopolitical fallout underscore the increasing complexity of the conflict, as world leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron coordinate positions with counterparts such as India’s Narendra Modi.
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