RUSSIA blitzed Ukraine with its biggest ever drone bombardment on the eve of the war’s third anniversary.
Putin’s troops fired a record-breaking 267 Shahed drones from all directions at targets across Ukraine.
The onslaught targeted cities across the country, leaving a trail of destruction and civilian casualties.
Kyiv said it downed 138 while 119 disappeared from radar – which usually means they were jammed or defeated by electronic warfare.
Three flew back towards Russian and one towards Belarus – in a sign that Ukraine hacked the weapons mid flight and turned them back on their enemies.
The figures suggest at least seven made it through.
Russia also unleashed a volley of three ballistic missiles from Crimea.
While Ukraine’s defences managed to shoot down many of the drones, emergency services reported widespread damage.
In the southern city of Kherson, a man and a mum of twins were killed when a drone struck a residential building.
Another man died, at least three were wounded in Kryvyi Rih, while a 53-year-old woman was hospitalised after a strike on Zaporizhzhia.
Fires erupted across Kyiv, with Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirming homes and cars were damaged in the capital.
The recent attack aimed at a minimum of 13 areas, including Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Mykolayiv, and Odesa, has eclipsed the previous drone record of 193 established back in December.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky is due to hold a press conference this afternoon.
Officials in the government have cautioned that this fresh onslaught serves as additional evidence that Putin, the leader of the Kremlin, shows no interest in peace. There are reports indicating that the US is hindering a proposed statement from the G7 that would identify Russia as the aggressor.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said: “This demonstrates that avoiding calling Russia an aggressor does not change the fact that it is one.
“No one should trust Putin’s words. Look at his actions instead.”
Meanwhile, Russia claimed it had downed 20 Ukrainian drones overnight, as Kyiv continues its own long-range strike campaign.
It comes after Donald Trump demanded “anything we can get” from Ukraine in a marquee speech to his adoring fans.
During his address at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday, the US President emphasized the need for oil and rare earth minerals. This comes against the backdrop of an ongoing dispute with Zelensky.
He said: “I’m dealing with President Zelensky. I’m dealing with President Putin and I’m trying to get the money back or secured.”
The President said that the US has given $350 billion in aid to the war-torn nation while Europe has given $100 billion.
He said: “Europe gave it in the form of a loan, they get their money back.
“We gave it in the form of nothing so I want them to give us something for all of the money that we put up.
“We’re asking for rare earth, oil, anything we can get.”
Trump says he believes he is “pretty close to a deal” despite a source telling Sky News that Zelensky is not ready to sign a “problematic” minerals deal with America.
The deal proposed by Trump’s team would see Kyiv hand over billions of dollars of minerals to Washington DC in exchange for weapons.
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