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Russia has responded to criticism leveled by President Donald Trump against President Vladimir Putin, attributing Trump’s remarks to being “emotional” amid escalating tensions and intensified military operations in Ukraine.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, yesterday President Trump unleashed some of his harshest criticism yet against Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him “absolutely CRAZY” following Russia’s largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. The strikes, which involved a record barrage of drones and cruise missiles, targeted cities across Ukraine, including Kyiv, killing at least 12 civilians and causing widespread destruction. Trump expressed disbelief at the timing of the attacks, especially as diplomatic talks are underway. The sudden escalation has also drawn sharp responses from European Union officials, who are now pressuring the US to impose significant new sanctions on Russia, including aggressive tariffs and expanded export restrictions, in a bid to deter further Russian aggression.
What’s going on now: In response to President Trump’s criticism, the Kremlin downplayed the remarks, attributing them to the intense emotions surrounding the current crisis. “Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding, “We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process.”
Despite thanking Trump for his role in initiating peace efforts, Russian officials defended the latest military strikes on Ukraine, portraying them as necessary defensive actions tied to national security concerns.
Russia justified the scale of its aerial bombardment by accusing Ukraine of launching an unprecedented wave of drone attacks inside Russian territory in recent days. According to Russian military reports, over 764 Ukrainian UAVs were intercepted between Tuesday and Friday alone, with hundreds more destroyed over the weekend. The Kremlin claimed that one particularly intense drone raid occurred during President Putin’s visit to the Kursk region, with some reports suggesting his helicopter was near the “epicenter” of the incursion.
In retaliation, Russia said it conducted precision strikes against “Ukrainian drone and missile production facilities,” including a major defense plant in Kyiv.
Ukraine, however, argues against Russia’s version of events, accusing them of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure under the guise of hitting military assets. Ukrainian officials said that many of the missiles and drones struck residential areas and public buildings, with no credible evidence that arms factories were involved.
