The smoke spiralling above Kyiv's Cabinet of Ministers building was a stark reminder of the brutal calculus underpinning Russia's war in Ukraine.

For all the talk of diplomacy - including US President Donald Trump's faltering mediation efforts - Moscow's assault underscores a strategy focused on overwhelming force rather than negotiation.

Ukrainian authorities report that this was the largest aerial attack on the capital since the full-scale invasion began, with more than 800 drones and decoys launched alongside missiles.

Image: Smoke rises over the Ukrainian government headquarters after Russian drone and missile strikes. Pic: Reuters

Image: Hundreds of drones joined the attack. Pic: AP

The scale of the barrage suggests a deliberate Russian strategy; launching larger salv

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