Anna Hartz
Ukraine mocks Trump with brutal meme after deadly $5bn air base strike
For months, Donald Trump has dismissed Ukraine’s chances in its war with Russia.
He’s said the country was losing badly. He blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the war and insisted that Ukraine had “no cards to play”, reports Express.
But over the weekend, Ukraine proved otherwise — and didn’t hold back in rubbing it in.
On Sunday, Ukraine launched a surprise drone attack on Russian air bases deep inside enemy territory.
The strikes reportedly destroyed around 40 aircraft, including bombers. Ukrainian intelligence claims the damage could cost Russia up to £5 billion.
It was a major blow to the Russian air force and a reminder that Ukraine still has the ability to strike hard and far.
The mood in Kyiv was celebratory. Ukrainians didn’t just celebrate the attack — they took aim at Trump, too.
His past remarks about Ukraine’s supposed weakness were turned into punchlines.
Business Ukraine, a local journal, posted a jab on X (formerly Twitter) that read: “Today Zelensky played the King of Drones.”
The comment was a direct play on Trump’s card analogy, flipping the narrative in Ukraine’s favor.
Illia Ponomarenko, a Ukrainian defense journalist, also chimed in. He referenced how Zelensky had once been put in an awkward position during a visit to the White House.
Now, the tables have turned. Ponomarenko wrote, “This is what happens when a proud nation under attack doesn’t listen to all those: ‘Ukraine has only six months left.’ ‘You have no cards.’ ‘Just surrender for peace.’”
On social media, a meme quickly made the rounds. It showed Zelensky wearing a suit made entirely of playing cards — a sharp response to Trump’s earlier mockery.
Trump had told reporters after talks with both Putin and Zelensky that Ukraine was in a tough spot and had little leverage.
But after this weekend’s strike, it seems Ukraine had more than a few cards left. And it just played a big one.