"President Donald Trump was unhappy to hear the news, but he was not surprised. These are two countries that have been at war for a long time. Russia launched an attack on Kiev, while Ukraine has also targeted Russian oil refineries," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a briefing on August 28.
U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg warned that attacks on "innocent civilians" could undermine the peace efforts that Trump has been pursuing.
These comments came after Ukrainian officials reported that Russia fired more than 600 missiles and drones at 13 locations on the night of August 27, resulting in at least 23 deaths and over 60 injuries in Kiev. The strike is believed to have also damaged buildings housing the European Union and the British Council in the city. Russia's Ministry of Defense confirmed the coordinated strike, using high-precision long-range weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and suicide drones targeting Ukraine's military airports and defense industry businesses.
"The mission was accomplished. All targets were hit," the Ministry stated.
Kremlin spokespersons also affirmed that Russian forces did not target civilian infrastructure or social facilities.
AMK Mapping, an open-source intelligence account tracking the war, revealed that key Russian targets included Kiev, Starokostiantyniv Airport in Khmelnytsky, and Vasylkov in Kiev province—both believed to house Ukraine's primary F-16 squadrons. The report also cited several locations in Zhytomyr and Ivano-Frankivsk provinces.
"One of the targets was the Bayraktar UAV assembly plant in Kiev, likely hit by 1-2 Iskander-M missiles. Kolomya Airport in Ivano-Frankivsk province was also targeted, as it is believed to house MiG-29 fighter jets that regularly bomb Russian positions, along with helicopters and small aircraft used to intercept Geran-2 UAVs," the account stated.
Upon returning to the White House, President Trump intensified his mediation efforts to end the Ukraine conflict. He held a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska, followed by meetings with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on August 18.
These events raised hopes for a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky. Initially, both leaders seemed open to the idea, but subsequent developments have shown that peace talks remain uncertain.
Leavitt stated that Trump "has worked harder than anyone" toward peace, but both Russia and Ukraine must be ready to end the conflict. "The President wants the war to end, but the leaders of both countries must also want that," she concluded.