NATO was forced to scramble warplanes overnight as Vladimir Putin launched brutal missile and drone strikes, which left the smoke-choked Ukrainian city Kremenchuk looking like a scene from Armageddon. The horrific Russian attacks came even as Donald Trump claimed the Russian tyrant had agreed to peace talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, with hopes a meeting would take place by the end of August.
This followed the Trump-Zelensky talks and the involvement of Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders in a White House session aimed at ending the war. But there were immediate doubts on Putin’s sincerity both from his overnight use of strategic bombers to hit Ukraine, and his aide Yury Ushakov failing to specify that the Kremlin leader would personally take part in talks with Zelensky while accepting the level of seniority of the delegation could be raised.
Polish and other NATO fighters were scrambled due to the intensity of the Russian attacks on Ukraine, which involved Tu-95MS strategic bombers unleashing cruise missiles as they flew over the Caspian Sea.
“On the night of August 18-19, 2025, long-range aviation of the Russian Federation once again launched missile attacks on Ukrainian territory,” said a statement from Warsaw’s military headquarters. “To ensure the security of Polish airspace, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces (RFAF) has activated all necessary procedures. Polish and allied aircraft have commenced operations, and ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest level of alert.”
The scrambling due to Russian aggression was “preventative in nature and aimed at securing airspace and protecting citizens, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened area”.
Putin told Trump in a 40-minute phone conversation that he sought peace, yet he hit Kremenchuk with both ballistic and cruise missiles, as Russia reportedly deployed five of its hulking Tu-95MS strategic bombers for overnight strikes, and fired 270 Shahed drones at Ukraine.
At least 10 giant explosions rocked the city with 30 across the Poltava region, plunging thousands into darkness with electricity cuts.
“The entire Kremenchuk is in smoke – close your windows,” warned an account. “Terrible consequences after one of the most massive attacks on the city.”
The city was hit by “dozens of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles”. Administrative buildings of local energy sector enterprises were damaged, while gas storage facilities in Poltava region were hit as Putin targets civilian infrastructure.
“The enemy launched a massive strike on the Poltava region,” said regional governor Volodymyr Kohut. “Hits and debris falls were recorded in the Kremenchuk and Lubny districts. Administrative buildings of local energy sector enterprises were damaged. In the Lubny district, as a result of the attack, 1,471 residential and 119 legal subscribers were left without electricity.Emergency Service and energy units are working to eliminate the consequences of the attack.”
Ukraine’s Chernihiv region was also attacked by Russian drones. In Dnipropetrovsk, an apartment building and school were hit.
Trump posted on Truth Social that he had spoken to Putin and begun preparations for a meeting between Zelensky and the Kremlin dictator.
“I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky,” he said. This would be followed by a trilateral also involving Trump. The aim appears to be for such a session to take place by the end of this month.
But Putin’s foreign affairs guru Yury Ushakov soon expressed a less optimistic view of peace talks between the leaders, admitting the call with Trump had been “frank” and “constructive.”
“Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump expressed support for continuing direct negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine,” said Putin’s trusted aide.
“In this regard, in particular, the idea was discussed that it would be necessary to study the possibility of raising the level of representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian sides.”
He did not say that Putin had agreed to meet – only that the Kremlin could “study” the “possibility” of future talks involving more senior representatives than previous sessions in Istanbul.
“Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump agreed to continue to closely contact each other on the Ukrainian and other pressing issues of the international and bilateral agenda,” said Ushakov.
“The Russian President once again noted the importance of Donald Trump’s personal efforts to find solutions that lead to a long-term settlement in Ukraine. The conversation was frank and very constructive.”