NATO had to deploy warplanes overnight following Vladimir Putin’s severe missile and drone assaults, which left the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk engulfed in smoke, resembling a scene from a disaster movie.

These brutal Russian strikes coincided with Donald Trump’s claim that the Russian leader was open to peace talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, with potential discussions anticipated by the end of August.

This followed the Trump-Zelensky talks and the involvement of Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders in a White House session aimed at ending the war.

However, skepticism about Putin’s intentions persisted, especially given his overnight deployment of strategic bombers against Ukraine and his advisor Yury Ushakov’s ambiguity on whether Putin would personally engage in the talks with Zelensky, despite acknowledging the possibility of raising the delegation’s seniority.

In response to the severe Russian offensive, Polish and other NATO jets took action, as the attacks saw Tu-95MS strategic bombers launch cruise missiles while flying over the Caspian Sea.

‘On the night of August 18-19, 2025, Russia’s long-range aviation conducted missile strikes on Ukrainian land once more,’ stated a release from the military headquarters in Warsaw.

‘To ensure the security of Polish airspace, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces (RFAF) has activated all necessary procedures.

‘Polish and allied aircraft have begun operations, with ground-based air defense and radar detection systems reaching the highest alert level.’

The scrambling due to Russian aggression was ‘preventative in nature and aimed at securing airspace and protecting citizens, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened area’.

Putin told Trump in a 40-minute phone conversation that he sought peace, yet he hit Kremenchuk with both ballistic and cruise missiles, as Russia reportedly deployed five of its hulking Tu-95MS strategic bombers for overnight strikes, and fired 270 Shahed drones at Ukraine.

At least ten giant explosions rocked the city, with 30 across the Poltava region, plunging thousands into darkness with electricity cuts.

‘The entire Kremenchuk is in smoke – close your windows,’ warned an account. ‘Terrible consequences after one of the most massive attacks on the city.’

The city was hit by ‘dozens of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles’,

Administrative buildings of local energy sector enterprises were damaged, while gas storage facilities in the Poltava region were hit as Putin targets civilian infrastructure.

‘The enemy launched a massive strike on the Poltava region,’ said regional governor Volodymyr Kohut. Hits and debris falls were recorded in the Kremenchuk and Lubny districts. Administrative buildings of local energy sector enterprises were damaged.

‘In the Lubny district, as a result of the attack, 1,471 residential and 119 legal subscribers were left without electricity.

‘Emergency Service and energy units are working to eliminate the consequences of the attack.’

Ukraine’s Chernihiv region was also attacked by Russian drones. In Dnipropetrovsk, an apartment building and school were hit.

Trump posted on Truth Social that he had spoken to Putin and begun preparations for a meeting between Zelensky and the Kremlin dictator.

‘I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky,’ he said.

This would be followed by a trilateral also involving Trump. The aim appears to be for such a session to take place by the end of this month.

But Putin’s foreign affairs guru, Yury Ushako, soon gave a less optimistic version of the hopes of peace talks involving the leaders, while admitting the call with Trump had been ‘frank’ as well as ‘constructive’.

‘Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump expressed support for continuing direct negotiations between the delegations of Russia and Ukraine,’ said Putin’s trusted aide.

‘In this regard, in particular, the idea was discussed that it would be necessary to study the possibility of raising the level of representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian sides.’

He did not say that Putin had agreed to meet – only that the Kremlin could ‘study’ the ‘possibility’ of future talks involving more senior representatives than previous sessions in Istanbul.

He added: ‘Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump agreed to continue to closely contact each other on the Ukrainian and other pressing issues of the international and bilateral agenda.

‘The Russian President once again noted the importance of Donald Trump’s personal efforts to find solutions that lead to a long-term settlement in Ukraine. 

‘The conversation was frank and very constructive.’

Meanwhile, Ukraine struck the Lukoil refinery in Russian city Volgograd, leaving it in flames.

The roof of City Hospital No. 16 was hit by a downed drone. More than 15 explosions were heard in the city and suburbs during the night.

The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that 13 drones had been destroyed over the Volgograd region.

The refinery – one of Russia’s biggest – is essential to Putin’s war effort, supplying his military machine.

In all, some 270 Shahed drones, up to five Kh-101 and five Iskander-M missiles hit were unleashed on Ukraine in the wake of the White House peace talks.

Ukraine said 230 enemy Shaheds were downed along with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and four Kh-101 cruise missiles.

During the talks, Zelensky thanked Trump 11 times in just four-and-a-half minutes as the US president pledged US security guarantees for a post-war Ukraine.