Trump calls Putin “Crazy” amidst massive Russian drone attack on Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday publicly called his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, “crazy” following a deadly barrage of drones launched by Moscow against Ukraine.

This sharp rebuke came even as the warring nations completed a large-scale prisoner exchange.

At least 13 people were killed when Russia unleashed a record number of drones against Ukraine overnight into Sunday.

 “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.”

Trump further elaborated on his platform, stating, “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!”

His comments mark a rare public condemnation of Putin, whom Trump has often spoken of with admiration. However, the U.S. leader has increasingly voiced frustration with Moscow’s stance in stalled truce negotiations with Kyiv.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump told reporters he was “not happy” about the latest attack on Ukraine and was “absolutely” considering increasing sanctions on Moscow.

“I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all,” Trump stated.

Ukraine Faces “Terror” as Strikes Intensify

Ukraine’s emergency services described an atmosphere of “terror” across the country on Sunday after a second consecutive night of massive Russian air strikes, which heavily impacted the capital, Kyiv.

Among those killed in the latest Russian strikes were victims aged eight, 12, and 17 in the northwestern region of Zhytomyr, according to officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reacted to the attacks on social media, asserting, “Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped.” He added, “The silence of America, the silence of others around the world only encourages Putin,” and emphasized that “Sanctions will certainly help.”

Trump, in his social media post, also criticized Zelensky, a frequent target of his ire, accusing him of “doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does.” “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” he said.

International Condemnation and Military Response

The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also called for “the strongest international pressure on Russia to stop this war.” She stated on social media that “Last night’s attacks again show Russia bent on more suffering and the annihilation of Ukraine.”

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed these sentiments, stating, “Putin does not want peace, he wants to carry on the war and we shouldn’t allow him to do this.” He confirmed, “For this reason we will approve further sanctions at a European level.”

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Ukraine’s military reported on Sunday that it had successfully shot down a total of 45 Russian missiles and a record 266 attack drones overnight. Air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat confirmed that 298 drones were launched, adding that this was “the highest number ever.” Four people were reported killed in Ukraine’s western Khmelnytskyi region, and another four in the Kyiv region. Two people also died in the southern Mykolaiv region.

Russia claimed its strikes were aimed at Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex” and stated it had brought down 110 Ukrainian drones.

The previous night, Russia had launched 14 ballistic missiles and 250 drones, injuring 15 people, according to Ukrainian officials. Flights at Moscow airports experienced temporary closures due to Ukrainian drone activity on Sunday, but no injuries were reported.

Prisoner Exchange Amidst Escalation

The massive strikes on Ukraine coincided with Russia’s announcement that it had exchanged another 303 Ukrainian prisoners of war for the same number of Russian soldiers held by Kyiv. This exchange marked the final phase of a swap agreed upon during talks in Istanbul on May 16.

This was the largest prisoner swap since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with a total of 1,000 captured soldiers and civilian prisoners returned by each side.

Zelensky confirmed the completion of the swap. An AFP reporter observed some of the formerly captive Ukrainian soldiers arriving at a hospital in the northern Chernigiv region, appearing emaciated but visibly relieved, smiling, and waving to crowds.

One former captive, 58-year-old Viktor Syvak, held for 37 months and 12 days since his capture in Mariupol, expressed his overwhelming emotion at the homecoming, stating, “It’s impossible to describe. I can’t put it into words.”