Summary
Ukraine says Russia carried out its biggest drone and missile attack on the capital yet, just two days after the US announced it was suspending the supply of some critical weapons to Kyiv, and hours after Presidents Trump and Putin spoke on the phone. We report from Kyiv.
Also in the programme: President Trump’s huge tax and spending bill squeaks through Congress – but will it be a vote-winner or loser at next year's midterm elections? We hear from a Republican pollster; and a security contractor for the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation tells the BBC they were instructed to shoot first and ask questions later.
(IMAGE: Smoke is seen from outskirts of the city, after a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 4, 2025 / CREDIT: Alina Smutko / Reuters)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to NewsAv from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:06.4 | We're coming to you live from London. |
| 0:08.2 | I'm James Menendez. |
| 0:09.9 | And we're going to start today in the Ukrainian capital Keev. |
| 0:26.5 | Well, that is the moment. A drone exploded in a residential area of the city last night. |
| 0:34.5 | Just one part of what was a huge barrage of drones and missiles launched by Russia on the capital and other parts of the country. |
| 0:38.4 | Christina Katrakis is an ambassador of the foundation for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. She fled Kiev with her child this morning. I mean, the scene was like |
| 0:44.7 | from Armageddon, totally apocalyptic. The smog throughout the morning was just horrid. Prior to |
| 0:51.9 | the actual attack, Russian sent surveillance drones, so they were circulating |
| 0:57.5 | over the city. And then right after the conversation with Donald Trump, wouldn't send the actual |
| 1:04.1 | full-scale assault of 11 missiles and 550 drones all hitting the cattle. Their main target was actually Juliana Airport, and that's |
| 1:14.5 | where surveillance drones were over, and that's where the drones and the missiles were concentrated |
| 1:20.8 | at, and that's a civilian airport in the city. And also, in number of regions of the city, we had targets being hit, and those |
| 1:29.9 | are civilian targets. In our area where we live, in Holosiewski area, they hit a medical center |
| 1:36.3 | and also hit five ambulance cars on the way to deliver aid to people. |
| 1:42.5 | The Ukrainian authorities say it was the biggest aerial bombardment they suffered so far. |
| 1:48.2 | And it did begin just hours after President Trump spoke over the phone |
| 1:52.5 | to the Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war. |
| 1:56.3 | This is what Mr. Trump told reporters as he was about to board Air Force One, about their conversation. |
| 2:02.6 | Yeah, I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin |
| 2:06.4 | because I don't think he's there. I don't think he's there. And I'm very disappointed. |
| 2:12.4 | Well, it's not, I'm just saying I don't think he's looking to stop. |
... |
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