Soon after Trump reveals Putin’s retaliation warning, Russian drones kill 5 in Ukraine
Trump did not say how he reacted to Putin's warning, but he also did not bring up his earlier annoyance at Putin's prolonged war
Early on Thursday (June 5), a string of Russian drone attacks struck several Ukrainian cities, leaving at least five people—including a one-year-old child—dead and more than twenty injured.
Six Shahed-type drones targeted the northern city of Pryluky, according to Ukrainian officials, severely damaging homes and injuring six people. Regional governor Viacheslav Chaus said the attack occurred overnight.
Two apartment buildings in the eastern city of Kharkiv were struck by a different drone strike later that day.
The early-morning attack in the Slobidskyi district injured 17 people, including children, a pregnant woman, and a 93-year-old. Fires broke out and private vehicles were destroyed.
“By launching attacks while people sleep in their homes, the enemy once again confirms its tactic of insidious terror,” Kharkiv’s regional head Oleh Syniehubov said.
Trump-Putin call
The attacks happened soon after US President Donald Trump disclosed that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone. Trump claims that Putin "very strongly" threatened retaliation for Ukraine's recent drone attack on Russian military installations.
Trump said the call was "good," but it didn't lead to any peace. The two leaders had not spoken to one another since mid-May. Trump did not say how he reacted to Putin's warning, but he also did not bring up his earlier annoyance at Putin's prolonged war.
Also read: Russian rockets kill 4 in a Ukrainian city; Zelenskyy denounces assault
Zelenskyy rejects ceasefire
Russia's proposed ceasefire was rejected by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a political trick. He called the document that was presented at the talks in Istanbul "spam" and claimed that it was a reiteration of previous demands that had no real intention of bringing about peace.
Zelenskyy proposed neutral locations like Switzerland or Istanbul but insisted that a true ceasefire must occur prior to any summit with Putin. Additionally, he suggested that Trump could attend a future peace conference.
Also read: Op Spider’s Web: Former DJ, wife speculated as suspects in Ukraine drone attack
US role unclear
Amid diplomatic efforts, there are indications that the US is becoming less involved. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not attend a key Ukraine support meeting in Brussels, marking the first such absence in three years. The White House also declined to comment on Trump’s call or possible talks with Zelenskyy. According to a Washington think tank, Russia wants to outlast Western assistance without facing more severe sanctions.
Also read: Ukraine strikes Crimea Bridge, inflicts heavy damage: Report
Drone war escalates
More video of Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian airfields over the weekend was made public by the country's Security Service, which said that over 40 aircraft, including bombers like the Tu-95 and Tu-160, were damaged. The AI-guided drones were made to fly even in the event that they lost communication with their operators.
Moscow disagrees with Ukraine's claim that it used an underwater blast to destroy the Kerch Bridge, which connects Crimea to Russia. Since late May, Russia has reportedly taken nine villages in the northern Sumy region as part of its ongoing offensive on the ground. Putin had previously stated that the objective was to establish a buffer zone to prevent Ukrainian attacks.
(With inputs from agencies)