Ukrainian forces escalate drone campaign deep inside Russia: "They’re fighting like crazy… sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while," comments Trump

Key Information:

• Ukraine struck Russia’s Engels-2 airbase overnight with drones, destroying multiple fuel tanks and igniting fires at a key bomber hub.
• Additional Ukrainian drone strikes hit military sites in Ryazan, Kursk, Tambov, and Bryansk, escalating Kyiv’s long-range campaign.
• Russia claimed to intercept 174 drones and launched a massive retaliatory barrage of 452 drones and 45 missiles against Ukraine.
• President Trump likened the war to "two children fighting," drawing criticism and a sharp response from the Kremlin.
• Russia’s spokesman called the war "an existential issue," asserting that the West rejected Moscow’s terms for peace.

Footage from the scene showed flames and explosions engulfing the refinery area near the Engels base, which houses Russia’s Tu-95, Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 bombers, used frequently in missile strikes on Ukraine. Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed that three fuel tanks were destroyed in the strike. Local authorities acknowledged drone damage at an industrial site and a nearby apartment building but reported no casualties.

Strikes also hit Dyagilevo airfield in Ryazan Oblast and a missile control plant in Michurinsk, according to Ukrainian and Russian officials. The Bryansk airport was reportedly targeted as well, where unverified videos appeared to show a massive explosion.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed it intercepted 174 drones over 12 regions and occupied Crimea. However, Ukraine’s military insists its preemptive strikes successfully degraded Russian air assets before Moscow launched one of its largest air assaults of the war — 452 drones and 45 missiles, killing at least five people in Ukraine and injuring dozens.

As the strikes unfolded, political sparks flew in Washington. During a White House meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Donald Trump likened the war to a fight between "two young children in a park."

"They’re fighting like crazy… sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while," Trump said.

The Kremlin reacted swiftly and sternly. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the comparison as dangerously simplistic.

"For us, this is an existential question," Peskov said, citing national security and the future of Russia as being at stake.

While the U.S. administration remained focused on Ukraine’s strategic needs, the exchange added tension to an already volatile diplomatic environment. Ukrainian officials refrained from commenting directly on the remarks but continued to stress the importance of Western resolve.

The Engels-2 airbase is a central target in Ukraine’s strike doctrine. Located 600 kilometres from the front, it has repeatedly served as a launch point for bombers attacking civilian and energy infrastructure. Analysts say crippling the bombers at their source can reduce Russia’s ability to sustain its aerial campaign.

The strike followed Operation Spiderweb earlier this month — a bold Ukrainian drone offensive that reportedly damaged 41 Russian bombers and caused an estimated $7 billion in losses.

"Strikes on military infrastructure will continue until the armed aggression of the Russian Federation is stopped," Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement.

Friday’s dual headlines — explosive drone strikes and explosive political remarks — underscore the widening scope of the conflict. With Russia and Ukraine both intensifying their military campaigns and with Trump’s comments prompting unease among allies, the war is now unfolding across battlefields, airspace, and global diplomacy.