Overnight Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv injure 26 people

On the night of July 3 into the early hours of July 4, 2025, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was subjected to a massive Russian assault involving ballistic missiles and drones, marking one of the most intense attacks on the city in recent months. The barrage began around 10 p.m. local time, with multiple rounds of explosions reported across the city, causing widespread fires and significant damage to civilian infrastructure, including apartment buildings, a medical facility, a school, and railway lines. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, at least 23 people were injured, with 14 hospitalized, as emergency crews worked to extinguish fires and rescue residents amidst dangerous air quality due to smoke from the explosions. Ukrainian air defenses managed to intercept several missiles and drones, but the scale of the attack overwhelmed parts of the city, with debris causing additional destruction in multiple districts, including Shevchenkivskyi and Holosiivskyi.

The attack also damaged the consular section of the Polish Embassy in Kyiv, as confirmed by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who noted that all embassy staff remained safe and unharmed. This incident heightened concerns about the proximity of the war to NATO territory, given Poland's status as a NATO member and its border with Ukraine. Sikorski emphasized Ukraine’s urgent need for enhanced air defense resources to counter such attacks, a sentiment echoed by Ukrainian officials who reported that Russia launched ballistic missiles around 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., alongside waves of drones. The damage to the Polish Embassy underscored the indiscriminate nature of the strikes, which targeted civilian and diplomatic infrastructure, further escalating tensions in the region.

The assault on Kyiv was part of a broader pattern of intensified Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, with officials suggesting it may have been a retaliatory response to recent Ukrainian military actions. President Volodymyr Zelensky linked the timing of the attack to discussions surrounding a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting the ongoing geopolitical complexities. The strikes caused significant disruption, with Ukrainian Railways reporting damage to rail infrastructure, leading to delays, and air quality warnings issued due to hazardous combustion products. As Kyiv residents sought shelter in metro stations, the attack served as a stark reminder of Russia’s continued targeting of civilian areas, prompting renewed calls for international support to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.

Ukraine and Russia conducted a new POW exchange

Another prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place on July 4, bringing home a group of Ukrainian defenders, many of whom had been in captivity since 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed. He said the returned prisoners had fought in regions including Donetsk, Mariupol, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Kherson, and included soldiers from multiple service branches as well as civilians.

The swap followed five others in June under the Istanbul agreement, which facilitates regular exchanges of wounded POWs and repatriation of bodies. Zelensky emphasized that exchanges must continue and reiterated Ukraine’s goal of freeing all captives.

Russia’s Defense Ministry also confirmed the exchange but gave no figures. The Istanbul deal, reached after prolonged talks, is considered a humanitarian breakthrough, though broader political negotiations remain stalled. Ukraine is still pushing for a full-scale "all-for-all" exchange, which Russia has yet to accept.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff is pushing to lift energy sanctions on Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, is reportedly pushing to ease U.S. energy sanctions on Russia, according to Politico. The proposal has sparked internal disagreement within Trump’s administration. While Witkoff supports lifting restrictions, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is said to prefer reducing U.S. dependence on Russian imports.

Despite Trump’s campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, no ceasefire has been achieved. On July 4, after a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine to date. When asked by reporters whether he had made any progress during the call, Trump replied that he had not.

Politico also reported that Moscow is in early discussions with Washington about reviving the Nord Stream pipeline project, with support from U.S. investors — a move that has raised concerns in Brussels. A senior EU official warned that Trump and Putin might be attempting to divide the European energy market into separate spheres of influence.

Witkoff, a former real estate developer, has drawn criticism for using Kremlin-provided translators during sensitive meetings with Putin, including one in Moscow on April 26 — just a day after a deadly Russian missile strike in Kyiv.

Trump’s administration has yet to introduce new sanctions against Russia, even as Putin refuses to halt attacks on Ukraine.