EU Council President António Costa strongly condemns Russia’s brutal escalation in Ukraine

In a firm statement issued on Sunday, European Council President António Costa strongly condemned Russia’s latest large-scale assault on Ukraine, describing it as a “ruthless display of brutality aimed at civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Costa highlighted the deployment of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile system alongside a massive barrage of other weapons, calling it a reckless escalation that demonstrates Moscow’s lack of interest in meaningful peace negotiations.

“The EU remains unwavering in its support for Ukraine,” Costa affirmed, underscoring Europe’s continued commitment to Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression.

Details of the massive overnight attack

Russia launched one of its most intense attacks of the war overnight into Sunday, targeting Kyiv and surrounding regions with a combined force of approximately 90 missiles and 600 strike drones. Ukrainian air defences intercepted many threats, but the assault still caused significant damage and casualties.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia used the hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile – capable of carrying nuclear warheads and equipped with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) – for the third time in the conflict. It struck the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, about 80 km south of the capital.

Explosions rocked central Kyiv and other districts shortly after 1 a.m. local time, damaging residential buildings, schools, administrative facilities, a market, parked vehicles, and critical infrastructure. Officials reported at least two civilians killed and dozens injured, with some accounts citing over 20-80 wounded depending on the region. Fires broke out in multiple locations, and plumes of smoke rose over the city.

The attack followed public warnings from Zelenskyy and Western intelligence about an impending Oreshnik strike. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed the operation targeted military command facilities, air bases, and industrial enterprises, but Ukrainian

Putin in dire straits: escalation as a sign of weakness?

Analysts increasingly view such high-profile, resource-intensive strikes – especially the rare use of expensive systems like the Oreshnik – as indicators that Russian President Vladimir Putin finds himself in a precarious position. Despite slow territorial gains on the battlefield, Russia’s military faces mounting challenges: high daily casualties (often estimated near 1,000 in intense periods), difficulties in sustaining recruitment without relying on convicts and marginalised groups, and economic strain from prolonged sanctions and Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on oil infrastructure.

Russia’s economy, while showing some resilience through wartime spending and redirected energy exports, shows signs of slowdown, with rising deficits, inflation pressures, and reduced oil revenues in certain quarters. Putin has recently hinted that the conflict could be “coming to an end,” yet simultaneous escalations like this attack suggest an attempt to strengthen his negotiating position or distract from internal vulnerabilities, including reported concerns over personal security and elite criticism.

By resorting to dramatic demonstrations of firepower against civilian areas, Putin appears to be signalling resolve amid a war of attrition that Russia cannot indefinitely sustain at current intensity. This pattern – performative escalation paired with occasional peace rhetoric – may reflect a leader balancing domestic pressures, battlefield realities, and the need to project strength ahead of potential negotiations.

As the EU and its partners prepare to ramp up pressure on Russia, the latest assault serves as a grim reminder of the human cost and the urgent need for a just peace that upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty. Europe’s support, as Costa emphasized, remains firm in the face of this continued aggression.

Caption: Smoke rises as Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of a Russian strike on a residential building, in Kyiv, Ukraine, 24 May 2026, amid the Russian invasion. More than 600 drones and 90 missiles struck several sites across Kyiv overnight on 24 May, resulting in multiple fatalities and more than 80 injuries, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO