Trump released after arrest by U.S. police

Russia mounts pressure on Trump to condemn Ukraine

The Kremlin is hoping that U.S. President Donald Trump will condemn Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.

“If we are talking about an international assessment overall, then of course we will prefer to hear at least a sharp condemnation of this act of terror,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a news conference on Thursday.

He was responding to a question about whether Trump’s assurances during a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he was not aware of the attacks were sufficient.

Ukraine carried out a coordinated operation last weekend targeting several Russian military airfields far from the border using drones.

These airfields housed medium- and long-range bombers, which Russia has used to attack Ukraine with missiles and cruise missiles since the start of the war.

Ukraine has reported around 40 aircraft destroyed or damaged, while the Russian Defence Ministry has said only “a few’’ planes were affected.

Moscow also said that the aircraft were repairable even though videos showed about 10 bombers on fire.

Russia has classified the attack as an act of terrorism.

Peskov announced a military response, stating that it would occur “at a time and with the means that our military deems necessary”.