August 21, 2025- Russia unleashed one of its biggest missile and drone attacks against Ukraine in months in a dramatic build-up of the war.
Gigantic Scale of the Attack
Russia fired around 574 drones and 40 cruise and ballistic missiles—making this the biggest air attack for more than a month. Other reports also validate that over 600 missiles and drones took part in the wide-scale attack. The bombardment hit several western Ukrainian territories usually deemed safer from direct fighting. Included in the attacked cities were Lviv, being strategically near the border of Poland, and Mukachevo, which is near Hungary, and had a U.S.-owned facility employing 600 staff members hit
These strikes prompted Polish air defenses to scramble jets, especially after Lviv was damaged
Civilian Casualties and Infrastructure Damage
One civilian was killed, while at least 15 others were injured, as per Ukrainian authorities. Among the fatalities were those in domestic premises, including a kindergarten in Lviv that had been badly hit by cluster munitions.
Diplomatic Tensions During Fresh Diplomacy
The attack was timed with renewed global diplomatic action. United States President Donald Trump recently sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin—fueling rumors that Russia temporarily drew back its aggression to keep from provoking U.S. disapproval, then drastically increased attacks once diplomatic attention shifted. Reacting to the attack, Zelenskyy urged deeper international sanctions and tariff pressure on Moscow, calling out the lack of serious Russian engagement in peace negotiations. This action represents the third-largest drone attack and the eighth-largest missile assault of the year. Ukraine fought back by intensifying efforts to attack Shahed drone supply lines, in an attempt to cripple Russia’s drone network