Ukraine shocked the world and embarrassed Russia with a massive drone attack that destroyed dozens of military aircraft over the weekend. The attack happened at several Russian air bases and caused an estimated \$5 billion in damage.
Ukrainian intelligence said that about 40 Russian planes, including large bombers, were wiped out in one day. This left Russia stunned and showed once again how strong and capable Ukraine’s military has become, especially with drones.
Many Ukrainians were proud of the success and used the moment to make fun of U.S. President Donald Trump. Just a few months ago, in February, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.
That meeting did not go well. Trump had been criticizing Ukraine for a long time. He claimed that Ukraine was about to collapse and had no strength left in the war. He even said Ukraine had “no cards to play” and suggested they should give up and let Russia win for the sake of peace. At the same time, Trump said he had better talks with Russia and even defended President Putin.
But after this powerful drone attack, Ukrainians fired back at Trump’s words. One Ukrainian magazine, Business Ukraine, made a joke based on Trump’s “card” comment, saying, “Today Zelensky played the King of Drones.” This was their way of saying Ukraine is stronger and smarter than Trump believed. A Ukrainian journalist, Illia Ponomarenko, also made fun of all the experts and leaders who said Ukraine only had a few months left and should surrender. He reminded everyone that Ukraine didn’t listen to those negative voices—and look what they achieved.
Online, many people shared memes and pictures of Zelensky dressed like a king in a suit made out of playing cards, symbolizing his smart and brave leadership. Zelensky has continued to wear his military uniform in meetings with world leaders to show he is always ready to fight for his country. He’s become a powerful symbol of strength and determination for Ukrainians.
Even as the war goes on, Ukraine and Russia are still trying to hold peace talks. They recently met again in Istanbul to discuss the possibility of a short ceasefire. Russia offered a break in the fighting for a few days to let both sides collect the bodies of fallen soldiers. However, it’s not clear if anything will come from these talks, as both sides still have big disagreements.
Meanwhile, Trump is being mocked more and more, especially in Ukraine, where people feel he underestimated them. The drone attack not only damaged Russia but also served as proof that Ukraine is far from weak. They continue to defend their country and push back against both military threats and political pressure.
