Russia launched an intensified bombing campaign against Ukraine just hours after Donald Trump’s special envoy concluded meetings with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The escalation comes as Trump suggested he could meet directly with the Russian president as early as next week, raising questions about the timing of the renewed aggression.
According to The Daily Express, Putin’s forces targeted multiple Ukrainian cities in what appears to be a coordinated effort to break civilian morale and weaken public support for the war. The attacks focused heavily on Kherson, a strategically important city that has faced repeated Russian bombardment since its liberation by Ukrainian forces in November 2022.
The assault included a “massive” aerial strike on a key bridge in Kherson, though Russian forces failed to destroy the structure. Russian military bloggers have claimed that sabotage groups are planning attempts to retake the southern city, which remains close to active frontlines. The timing of these attacks, occurring directly after diplomatic discussions in Moscow, has drawn significant attention from international observers.
Casualties mount across multiple Ukrainian regions
The overnight bombardment resulted in casualties across several Ukrainian regions, with Shahed-2 drones striking targets in Dnipropetrovsk. Four people were injured in these attacks, including a 69-year-old woman who required medical treatment. Video footage shared on social media channels showed the extent of the drone strikes across the region.
Trump’s top envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow for ceasefire talks just hours before the tariff order was signed.
— Tymofiy Mylovanov (@Mylovanov) August 7, 2025
Trump claims oil revenue is fueling Russia’s war and says secondary tariffs will escalate until Moscow ends the invasion of Ukraine.
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The situation proved more deadly in Nikopol, where at least three Ukrainians died following aerial strikes on the city. Among the victims was Danylo Khizhnyak, a 23-year-old first responder who was killed while carrying out his duties. The loss of emergency personnel highlights the indiscriminate nature of the Russian attacks and their impact on civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine responded with its own military operations, launching attacks on Russian territory overnight. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck a Russian military unit located in Slavyansk-na-Kubani in the Krasnodar region, demonstrating the continued two-way nature of the conflict despite the diplomatic activities in Moscow.
The latest Russian offensive followed Wednesday’s talks between Putin and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Russia envoy, in the Russian capital. The Kremlin described the discussions as “constructive” and noted that both sides had exchanged “signals” during the meetings a diplomatic dance between leaders who have been satirically portrayed as Office coworkers, though specific details of the conversations remain undisclosed.
Trump later expressed optimism about potential direct talks with Putin, despite his history of controversial statements about the Russian leader, stating there was a “very good prospect” for such meetings in the near future. When asked whether the Russian president might be deceiving him, Trump replied that he could not answer the question yet but would know “in a matter of weeks, maybe less,” adding that “we made a lot of progress.”
The escalation also affected Russian territory, with Ukraine targeting the Afipsky Refinery in the Krasnodar region. Explosions at approximately 6 am caused a spectacular inferno at the facility, with flames visible from considerable distances and described as “massive” by local sources. The attacks on Russian infrastructure demonstrate Ukraine’s continued capability to strike back despite facing intensified bombardment from Moscow’s forces.
