Defense &
National Security

Defense &
National Security

The Big Story

After Trump's sanctions threat, Russia attacks again

Russia hit Ukraine with another large-scale overnight attack as the clock ticks on President Trump’s 50-day deadline for more sweeping sanctions if Moscow doesn’t end its war.

Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin pool photo via Associated Press

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an update on social platform X that the latest barrage targeted his country’s energy infrastructure. Fifteen people, including one child, were injured, he said.

“Russia is not changing its strategy — and to counter this terror effectively, we need to systematically strengthen our defenses: more air defense systems, more interceptors, and more determination — so that Russia feels our response,” Zelensky wrote.

Trump warned Monday that Moscow would face tougher sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t end his country’s attacks on Ukraine in the coming weeks.

“We’re very, very unhappy with [Russia], and we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in about 50 days,” Trump said during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. “We are very unhappy — I am — with Russia.”

Russian leaders largely blew off the threat, though.

“Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences,” Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, wrote in a post on X on Tuesday. “Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care.”

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