Ukraine Launches Record 1,000-Drone Strike on Russia, Trump Slams Kyiv
Ukraine fired over 1,000 drones at Russia in one of its largest ever aerial attacks, hitting an oil terminal and other infrastructure in St. Petersburg, killing at least one person. US President Trump sharply criticised Kyiv, questioning whether President Zelensky wants peace.
Ukraine launched one of its biggest aerial offensives of the war on October 18–19, 2026, sending more than 1,000 drones across 15 Russian regions, Crimea, and the Black Sea. Russian authorities said 1,015 drones were neutralised, but fires erupted at the Ruchi oil depot and an oil terminal in St. Petersburg; a subway station, residential buildings, and a medical facility were also damaged. At least one person was killed and five injured in St. Petersburg. The assault came after Ukraine abandoned a tentative 'energy ceasefire' arrangement with Washington, accusing Russia of continuing to strike Ukrainian energy infrastructure at least 76 times in a single week. US President Donald Trump reacted angrily, accusing Ukraine of targeting energy sites he had urged Zelensky to spare and publicly questioning whether the Ukrainian leader truly wanted to end the war. Trump also said he was wary of imposing fresh sanctions on Russia for fear of pushing Moscow away from ceasefire negotiations. The attack deepened a rift between Washington and Kyiv over both military strategy and diplomatic terms, with US intelligence-sharing with Ukraine reportedly under review.
