Daily Flyer - April 15, 2025

Ukraine Strikes Back at Russian Missile Base After Deadly Sumy Attack

Following the devastating April 13 missile strike on Sumy, Ukrainian forces conducted a retaliatory strike on a Russian missile base believed responsible for the attack, Kyiv announced on April 15, 2025. The operation targeted a facility linked to Russia’s Iskander-M missile systems, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s capacity for further urban assaults. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated the Sumy and Kryvyi Rih attacks—where a March 31 strike killed 20, including nine children—demonstrate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intent to prolong the war rather than seek peace. Despite U.S.-mediated ceasefire talks, Russia’s intensified bombardments, with 1,700 strikes on schools and 780 on medical facilities reported by Zelenskyy, suggest a strategy to pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions. The Ukrainian counterstrike, while a tactical success, highlights the war’s escalating tit-for-tat dynamic, with analysts warning that without robust Western support, Kyiv faces challenges sustaining such operations against Russia’s larger resources.

Russia Escalates Drone Assaults on Kharkiv, Defying Ceasefire Hopes

Russian forces launched over 100 drones targeting Ukraine’s Kharkiv region overnight on April 14-15, 2025, damaging civilian infrastructure and injuring at least six people, local authorities said. The attack, one of the largest drone barrages this month, follows Russia’s deadly Sumy strike and signals Moscow’s defiance of U.S.-led ceasefire efforts. Ukraine’s air defenses downed 43 of 55 drones, but fires sparked by the assault disrupted power in parts of the city. European leaders condemned the escalation, with Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski urging stronger sanctions on Russia. The intensified attacks raise concerns that President Vladimir Putin is exploiting diplomatic talks to weaken Ukraine’s northeastern defenses, complicating Kyiv’s efforts to hold ground while awaiting promised Western aid.

Trump’s Envoy Faces Backlash as Ukraine Rejects Partition Proposals

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s recent suggestion to partition Ukraine, reported on April 15, 2025, has drawn sharp criticism from Kyiv, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling it “absurd” and a betrayal of Ukraine’s sovereignty. Speaking after a Russian drone attack on Kharkiv, Zelenskyy reiterated that no deal ceding territory—such as the 20% currently occupied by Russia—will be accepted. Witkoff’s talks with Putin, including a four-hour meeting on April 11, have fueled fears in Ukraine that the Trump administration is leaning toward a deal favoring Moscow. European allies, including France and the UK, have pledged increased military support to bolster Kyiv, highlighting a growing transatlantic divide as Ukraine braces for potential Russian spring offensives amid stalled negotiations.