Russia Launches Widespread Drone and Missile Attacks on Ukraine After Kyiv’s Bold Airfield Raids

In the early hours of June 6, 2025, Russia launched a massive wave of missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, killing at least four people in Kyiv and wounding around 40 across the country. The attacks targeted multiple cities, including the capital Kyiv, Chernihiv near Belarus, and Lutsk close to Poland’s border. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the fatalities and ongoing rescue efforts on Telegram, while Ukraine’s emergency services reported three firefighters killed while responding to the strikes.

The strikes caused severe damage to residential buildings in Kyiv, with entire walls blown out and streets littered with glass and debris. Residents reported hearing multiple explosions before dawn, and firefighters battled several blazes. Chernihiv was hit by 14 explosions from drones and ballistic missiles, including cruise and Iskander-M missiles, according to regional military head Vyacheslav Chaus. Lutsk’s mayor, Ihor Polishchuk, reported five wounded and damage to homes, vehicles, and government buildings after missile strikes.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said Russia launched at least 38 cruise missiles, six ballistic missiles, and 407 drones overnight, marking one of the largest coordinated attacks in recent months. These strikes come days after Ukraine’s “Spider’s Web” drone offensive, which damaged 41 Russian military aircraft across four airbases deep inside Russian territory.

In a phone call on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told former U.S. President Donald Trump he would retaliate for Ukraine’s attacks. Trump’s account showed no effort to dissuade Putin from escalating the conflict, drawing criticism from Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko warned, “When Putin mentioned he is going to avenge or deliver a new strike against Ukraine, we know what it means. It’s about civilians.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted 174 Ukrainian drones and three Neptune-MD missiles during the attack. Meanwhile, Ukraine struck an industrial site in Engels, Russia, about 460 kilometers from the border, causing fires and smoke visible in verified footage.

Russia’s strategy involves saturating Ukrainian defenses with hundreds of drones alongside missile strikes to overwhelm air defenses. Ukraine relies heavily on U.S. technology for protection, but recent Pentagon decisions to divert anti-drone systems to U.S. forces in the Middle East raise questions about Ukraine’s defensive capacity.

This latest Russian strike highlights the intensifying conflict, with civilian areas increasingly targeted as Moscow seeks to punish Ukraine for its daring incursions into Russian territory. The situation remains fluid, with ongoing rescue and damage assessments.