Russia launched a formidable bombardment in Kyiv, and Putin warned of taking more regions.

The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, announced the start of work to establish a containment zone along the border with Ukraine to limit threats to national security.

During a meeting with members of his government, Putin stated that the Russian Armed Forces are carrying out this mission, which will include demining, deactivation of unexploded ordnance, and identification of weapon caches.

He emphasized that this measure responds to the continuous Ukrainian attacks against Russian border regions such as Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod, where civilian infrastructure has been a primary target of the bombings.

Putin also called for accelerating the reconstruction of affected areas and allowing the return of displaced people, ensuring the functioning of local economic activities. He accused Ukraine and "foreign mercenaries" of using terrorist methods, while denouncing recent Ukrainian drone attacks that forced the suspension of operations at Moscow airports.

Meanwhile, the Russian Army has intensified its ground offensives in the Ukrainian regions of Kharkov and Sumy, although analysts claim that the capitals of these regions are not yet under direct threat.

In the Donbas region, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the capture of the town of Novaya Poltavka, in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, one of the four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia in 2022, along with Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

Simultaneously, Russia carried out one of the largest air attacks on Kyiv since the start of the war in 2022, launching 14 ballistic missiles and 250 drones. Ukrainian defenses intercepted much of the attack, but 15 people were injured, including two children.

Authorities reported damage in six districts of the capital, with the Obolon district being one of the most affected. Many residents sought refuge in subway stations during the air alert, which lasted more than seven hours.

This air attack occurred at a time when Russia and Ukraine resumed prisoner exchanges, with an agreement mediated in Istanbul. In the initial phases of the exchange, 390 Ukrainians and 307 Russians were released, with new rounds planned. This exchange is considered a first step toward a possible ceasefire, although the prospects remain uncertain.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenski, condemned the attack and stated that it demonstrates Moscow's lack of commitment to peace, ensuring that Ukraine has proposed multiple times a ceasefire without receiving a response. "Each attack reinforces the idea that Moscow is the one prolonging the war," Zelenski expressed.

From the Russian side, the Kremlin replied that they are still preparing a memorandum with their conditions for a possible cessation of hostilities, a document that will be presented after completing the prisoner exchange. However, Ukraine denounces that while Russia talks of peace, it continues to launch drones and missiles against civilians, which evidences a contradiction in their intentions.

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, spoke out harshly criticizing Putin after the recent attacks: "I'm not happy with what Putin is doing. He's killing a lot of people, and I don't know what the hell happened to him." Despite previously maintaining a cordial diplomatic relationship with the Russian leader, Trump now accuses him of crossing unacceptable lines.

International pressure has grown. The European Union's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, condemned the attacks and called for the "maximum international pressure on Russia." The EU and other Western actors have renewed their calls to apply more sanctions to stop the indiscriminate bombings.

Ukraine stated that during the most recent attack, it shot down 45 missiles and 266 drones, although 12 people died, including children and teenagers in different regions of the country such as Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Mykolaiv. The school of some victims issued an emotional message: "Their memory will always be with us. We will never forgive it."

Meanwhile, Russia claimed that its attacks were directed against Ukraine's military-industrial complex and that they shot down 110 Ukrainian drones. However, the collateral damage to civilian infrastructure and the deaths of innocents contradict the official Russian narrative.