Russia launches massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine, killing 3 in Kyiv
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Russia launches massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine, killing 3 in Kyiv
NEW: At least three people were killed in the overnight attacks. NEW: Russia launched 45 missiles, including at least two cruise missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened more attacks on Ukraine. The U.S. and Ukraine are trying to reach an agreement to end the conflict. But Russia says it will continue to attack Ukraine unless the deal is agreed to by both sides, and the U.N. says it is ready to act. The United States says it’s ready to work with Russia to reach a deal.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 452 drones overnight as well as 45 missiles, including cruise and ballistic missiles. They struck the capital, Kyiv, and Ukrainian cities throughout the country, hitting apartment buildings, administrative buildings, commercial warehouses and cafes.
Explosions lasted for hours overnight in the Ukrainian capital as several fires were reported from the attacks.
NPR’s Kyiv bureau heard drones buzzing over the neighborhood as well as the blasts from anti-aircraft units and clips of heavy machine guns from Ukraine’s mobile air defense teams firing trying to shoot down the drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted “almost all of Ukraine” in the attacks and said the Kremlin must be held accountable.
“Now is the moment when America, Europe and everyone in the world together can stop this war by putting pressure on Russia,” Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel. “If someone does not put pressure and allows the war more time to take lives, this is complicity and responsibility.”
The attacks took place after Trump likened the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to a dispute between children , saying the two countries should “fight for a while” before pursuing peace.
“Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who emphasized support for Ukraine.
The comments were a departure from Trump’s recent efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and peace deal between the two countries.
Ukraine also hit military air bases in Russia overnight, the Ukrainian military said in a Facebook post, writing that “strikes on military infrastructure will continue until the complete stop of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.”
During a phone call earlier this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday, Trump said the Russian leader had warned that he would retaliate for a covert Ukrainian attack in Russia last weekend that destroyed dozens of Russian bombers.
Russian forces attack Ukrainian cities every day but have been doing so on a much larger scale in recent weeks.
Russia launches massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine, killing 3 in Kyiv
Russia launches massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine, killing 3 in Kyiv. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 452 drones as well as 45 missiles, including cruise and ballistic missiles. They struck the capital, Kyiv, and Ukrainian cities throughout the country. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted “almost all of Ukraine” in the attacks.”Now is the moment when America, Europe and everyone in the world together can stop this war by putting pressure on Russia,” he said.
toggle caption Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
KYIV, Ukraine — An overnight missile and drone attack on Ukraine killed at least three people and injured dozens more in one of the largest attacks on the country since Russia’s full-scale invasion began more than three years ago.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 452 drones overnight as well as 45 missiles, including cruise and ballistic missiles. They struck the capital, Kyiv, and Ukrainian cities throughout the country, hitting apartment buildings, administrative buildings, commercial warehouses and cafes.
Explosions lasted for hours overnight in the Ukrainian capital as several fires were reported from the attacks.
NPR’s Kyiv bureau heard drones buzzing over the neighborhood as well as the blasts from anti-aircraft units and clips of heavy machine guns from Ukraine’s mobile air defense teams firing trying to shoot down the drones.
toggle caption Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted “almost all of Ukraine” in the attacks and said the Kremlin must be held accountable.
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“Now is the moment when America, Europe and everyone in the world together can stop this war by putting pressure on Russia,” Zelenskyy wrote on his Telegram channel. “If someone does not put pressure and allows the war more time to take lives, this is complicity and responsibility.”
The attacks took place after Trump likened the conflict between Russia and Ukraine to a dispute between children , saying the two countries should “fight for a while” before pursuing peace.
“Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who emphasized support for Ukraine.
The comments were a departure from Trump’s recent efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and peace deal between the two countries.
toggle caption Dan Bashakov/AP
Ukraine also hit military air bases in Russia overnight, the Ukrainian military said in a Facebook post, writing that “strikes on military infrastructure will continue until the complete stop of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine.”
During a phone call earlier this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday, Trump said the Russian leader had warned that he would retaliate for a covert Ukrainian attack in Russia last weekend that destroyed dozens of Russian bombers.
Russian forces attack Ukrainian cities every day but have been doing so on a much larger scale in recent weeks.
Russia’s ‘Pearl Harbor’: What to know about Ukraine’s audacious drone strike
Ukraine said the strikes on Russian strategic bombers had caused $7 billion in damage. “It had an absolutely brilliant outcome,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia has had very tangible losses, and justifiably so,” he added. “We hope that the response will be the same as the US response to the attack on their Pearl Harbor or even tougher,” he said. “It is impossible to restore these losses,” a pro-Kremlin Telegram channel said.“It was the most damaging Ukrainian attack on Russia in the three years since Moscow invaded.” “It is the best example of how innovation can and should work in defense,” a U.S. official said. ‘It is a very, very difficult business to make money, but it is possible to make a living,” a former U.N. secretary-general says. “There is no such thing as a free lunch, but there is an easy way to get one,” he adds. “If you want to get rich, you have to work for it,” he says.
“It had an absolutely brilliant outcome,” Zelenskyy said.
“It is impossible to restore these losses,” Rybar, a pro-Kremlin Telegram channel, said.
WASHINGTON − Ukraine destroyed dozens of enemy bombers using a horde of drones smuggled deep into Russia in a stunning attack that Russian war bloggers are calling Moscow’s Pearl Harbor. It was the most damaging Ukrainian attack on Russia in the three years since Moscow invaded.
Ukrainian intelligence said the coordinated strikes on June 1 took a $7 billion toll on Russia’s military and demolished more than a third of Moscow’s strategic cruise missile carriers, including planes capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the massive attack, which he said used 117 drones, his country’s “longest-range operation.”
Russia’s Pearl Harbor?
“It had an absolutely brilliant outcome,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram. “Russia has had very tangible losses, and justifiably so.”
Oksana Markarova, Kyiv’s ambassador to the United States, called the attack a “very successful defensive operation in Russia against Russian aircraft that, on a daily basis, bomb our hospitals and schools and kill our kids.”
Speaking at an AI event in Washington, Markarova said it was “the best example of how innovation can and should work in defense.”
With Ukraine set to meet Russia for U.S.-brokered peace talks the next day and amid aggressive Russian advances on the battlefield, the ambitious June 1 attack showed neither side is counting on a breakthrough in negotiations.
“We hope that the response will be the same as the US response to the attack on their Pearl Harbor or even tougher,” Russian war blogger Roman Alekhin wrote on Telegram, comparing the Ukrainian strike to the 1941 Japanese raid on a U.S. base in Hawaii.
“It is impossible to restore these losses,” reported Rybar, a pro-Kremlin Telegram channel.
The comparisons between the Ukrainian drone attack and the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack bandied by pro-Russian bloggers were not historically accurate.
Japan’s Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of the U.S. naval base in Hawaii, which pulled the U.S. into World War II, destroyed and damaged more than 300 American planes and killed more than 2,400 servicemembers, according to the National World War II Museum.
Ukraine’s drone attack destroyed a tiny fraction of that number of aircraft. No deaths or injuries were reported, although the attack sparked fires in some residential homes and disrupted traffic, according to local officials.
Ukrainian ‘Spider’s Web’
The operation, code-named “Spider’s Web,” was characteristic of the style of warfare Ukraine has made its brand as it attempts to undercut Russia’s larger military – flooding the zone with cheap, deadly drones.
But the scope of this attack set a new precedent. The drones, strapped with explosives, were hidden inside the roofs of wooden sheds, which were dropped off by trucks at the outer edge of Russian military bases, a Ukrainian security official told Reuters.
The roofs then opened by remote control, unleashing the drones to swarm the military bases.
Ukraine’s intelligence service said 41 Russian aircraft were hit at four air bases stretching from the Finnish border to Siberia. One targeted base, in the Irkutsk region, lies more than 2,600 miles from the front lines, making it the farthest target Ukraine has hit during the conflict.
Russia’s defense ministry acknowledged in Telegram messages June 1 that drones launched “from an area in close proximity to airfields resulted in several aircraft catching fire.”
The operation came a day after Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine using 472 drones and seven missiles, according to Ukraine’s air force – the most drones launched in one operation throughout the conflict.
Separately on June 1, Ukraine struck two highway bridges in Russian regions close to its borders, killing seven people and injuring 69. One bridge collapsed on a train carrying nearly 400 passengers to Moscow, according to Russian investigators.
Three of the missiles and 372 drones were downed, the air force said.
Peace talks restart as Trump loses patience with Russia
Ukraine launched the operation a day before Ukraine and Russia will meet for U.S.-mediated negotiations in Istanbul to end the grinding conflict.
President Donald Trump has pressed both sides for a ceasefire. Earlier this year, his focus was trained on Ukraine, sparking tension with Zelenskyy that exploded into public view during a combative Oval Office meeting in late February.
But in recent weeks, Trump has grown more frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s dug-in position in negotiations.
In his starkest criticism of Putin to date, Trump wrote that Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY” after Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles into Ukrainian cities last weekend that killed a dozen people.
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump wrote in a May 25 Truth Social.
Trump said days later in the Oval Office that he was “very disappointed” that “people were killed in the middle of what you would call a negotiation.”
(This article was updated to correct the misspelling of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s last name.)
Russia launches record 355 drones at Ukraine; 6 killed, 24 injured over past 24 hours
Moscow’s forces launched nine Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS bomber planes and a record number of 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys overnight. Russian forces launched 80 attacks on 33 settlements using glide bombs, rocket artillery, and FPV drones. Ukrainian air defenses shot down all nine missiles and 233 drones, and 55 Russian drones were neutralized by electronic warfare systems or disappeared from radars. Russian strikes damaged 39 houses, a business, a car repair shop, a store, and two vehicles in the Kupiansk district. Other infrastructure, including power lines in the Bohodukhiv district and a civilian enterprise in the Kharkiv district, was also hit. The attack marked the most extensive drone strike against Ukraine during the full-scale war, topping the previous record of 298 drones overnight on May 25. This marks the second night that Polish air defenses have been placed on high alert due to Russia’s long-range aviation activity.
Editor’s note: The article was updated with the Air Force’s report.
Russia launched its third large-scale aerial and drone assault against Ukraine in three nights, killing at least six people and injuring 24 across multiple oblasts over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on May 26.
Moscow’s forces launched nine Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS bomber planes and a record number of 355 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys overnight, Ukraine’s Air Force reported.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down all nine missiles and 233 drones, and 55 Russian drones were neutralized by electronic warfare systems or disappeared from radars, according to the statement.
The attack marked the most extensive drone strike against Ukraine during the full-scale war, topping the previous record of 298 drones overnight on May 25.
In Kharkiv Oblast, two people were killed in Kupiansk as Russian forces launched a wide-ranging barrage involving glide bombs, various drone types, and artillery. Three other civilians were injured, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Russian strikes damaged 39 houses, a business, a car repair shop, a store, and two vehicles in the Kupiansk district. Other infrastructure, including power lines in the Bohodukhiv district and a civilian enterprise in the Kharkiv district, was also hit.
In Donetsk Oblast, six civilians were injured in Russian attacks across the region, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
In Kherson Oblast, one person was killed and four others wounded as Russian forces shelled and launched drone attacks on at least 30 settlements, including the city of Kherson.
The strikes damaged two apartment buildings, 11 houses, a gas pipeline, a cellphone tower, and several vehicles. Social infrastructure sites were also targeted, the governor said.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two civilians were injured after Russian forces launched 419 attacks across 12 settlements, including 26 air strikes and over 250 drone strikes. Authorities reported damage to houses, cars, and civilian infrastructure in multiple towns.
In Odesa Oblast, a 14-year-old teenager was injured in the village of Velykodolynske after a Russian drone strike. In the Odesa district, a 100-square-meter residential building was destroyed, and several more buildings, garages, and vehicles were damaged or destroyed, the governor said.
In Kyiv Oblast, Russia launched another combined missile and drone attack overnight, local authorities said. No injuries were reported, but explosions damaged three houses and several utility buildings in the Boryspil district, one house in the Fastiv district, and a car in the Bucha district. Air defenses intercepted several incoming threats, and no critical infrastructure facility was hit.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian forces targeted Nikopol and surrounding communities with Grad rockets, artillery, and drones, damaging both residential buildings and vehicles. In the Synelnykove district, two houses were struck by an FPV drone. No casualties were reported.
In Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Russian forces launched a second consecutive night of combined attacks on the region, Governor Serhii Tiurin said. No injuries were reported, but several houses and businesses were damaged.
In Mykolaiv Oblast, two civilians were killed and six others injured during a massive drone attack on the city of Mykolaiv, Governor Vitalii Kim said. Three of the injured were hospitalized and are in serious condition. In separate incidents, FPV drones targeted the Kutsurub and Ochakiv communities overnight. No further casualties were reported in those areas.
In Sumy Oblast, one person was killed and two others injured in separate drone and artillery attacks across the region, local authorities said. Russian forces launched 80 attacks on 33 settlements using glide bombs, rocket artillery, and FPV drones. Houses and infrastructure were damaged in the communities of Khotin and Romny.
In Cherkasy Oblast, air defenses shot down 25 drones over the region overnight. No casualties were reported, although blast waves from earlier strikes damaged windows and infrastructure in Uman.
In response to the Russian strikes, Poland once again scrambled military aircraft overnight. This marks the second consecutive night that Polish air defenses have been placed on high alert due to activity by Russia’s long-range aviation, according to the Polish Armed Forces. Warsaw has repeatedly taken similar measures during major Russian attacks on Ukraine.
Massive Russian Airstrikes Hit Ukraine as Putin Vows Retaliation, 4 Killed in Kyiv
Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack across Ukraine early Friday, June 6, killing at least four people and injuring 20 in the capital, Kyiv. The strike came less than two days after Russian leader Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump that Russia would retaliate for Ukrainian attacks on the airbases deep inside Russia. Analysts noted the unusually low number of aircraft involved, possibly due to Ukraine’s recent June 1 strikes on Russian airfields. British-Ukrainian journalist Bohdan Nahaylo, Chief Editor of Kyiv Post, reflects on his long career as journalist.
Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack across Ukraine early Friday, June 6, killing at least four people and injuring 20 in the capital, Kyiv, as strikes hit cities and regions with a mix of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Kalibr missiles, and dozens of drones.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
The strike came less than two days after Russian leader Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump in a phone call that Russia would retaliate for Ukrainian attacks on the airbases deep inside Russia, which damaged aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons and angered Moscow.
Explosions were first reported shortly after midnight in Kyiv, where Kyiv Post correspondents said air defense systems were active. Residents heard a mix of sounds – from drones being intercepted to direct hits by ballistic missiles.
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By around 2 a.m., reports confirmed that missiles had been launched from four strategic bombers: two TU-95MC and two TU-160MC. Analysts noted the unusually low number of aircraft involved, possibly due to Ukraine’s recent June 1 strikes on Russian airfields that reportedly damaged multiple warplanes.
Around 3 a.m., missile tracking monitors reported the launch of Kalibr missiles from Russian warships stationed in the Black Sea.
In Kyiv, the capital’s military administration reported widespread destruction across multiple districts.
Other Topics of Interest Bohdan Nahaylo: Reflections of a Veteran Journalist British-Ukrainian journalist Bohdan Nahaylo, Chief Editor of Kyiv Post, reflects on his long career as journalist in the UK, Germany and Ukraine.
In Solomianskyi, a fire broke out in a metal hangar and an apartment on the 11th floor of a 16-story residential building was destroyed. Three people were rescued from the rubble.
In Darnytskyi, debris fell in three separate locations, damaging vehicles. In Holosiivskyi, fires and destruction were caused by falling wreckage from intercepted drones and missiles – damaging civilian infrastructure, an educational institution, and a gas station.
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Debris also fell in the Desnianskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts, where a fire broke out in non-residential buildings. The Dnipro district reported damage to gas stations.
As of 6:27 a.m., four people had been confirmed dead and 20 injured, 16 of whom were hospitalized.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, three victims were firefighters from the State Emergency Service who died in the line of duty while responding to the attack. Search and rescue operations are continuing.
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