Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack on Ukraine overnight on June 6, striking major cities, including Kyiv and regions in the country’s far west. The assault came just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed retaliation in a phone call with former U.S. President Donald Trump over a Ukrainian drone strike on Russian air bases.
Air raid sirens sounded across every region of Ukraine as Russian Tu-95MS bombers reportedly launched cruise missiles. Explosions were confirmed in Kyiv, Lviv, Lutsk, and the regions of Ternopil and Khmelnytskyi.
In Kyiv, multiple fires broke out after drones hit residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Explosions and falling debris were reported in the Solomianskyi, Holosiivskyi, Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, and Shevchenkivskyi districts.
At least four people were killed, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Twenty others were injured, with 16 hospitalized. One drone struck the 11th floor of a high-rise apartment in Solomianskyi, starting a fire that was later extinguished. Three people were rescued. An industrial site in the same district also caught fire.
In Holosiivskyi, falling debris hit a residential building, triggering a blaze and damaging a nearby educational institution. Drone wreckage also landed near a gas station, damaging a car. A fire erupted on the 17th floor of another high-rise in Darnytskyi, and a gas station in Dniprovskyi suffered serious damage.
The metro system was also affected. Tracks and cables between Darnytsia and Livoberezhna stations were damaged, causing delays and service disruptions. Repairs are expected to take 24 hours.
In Ternopil, hundreds of kilometers from the front lines, Shahed drones and Kalibr cruise missiles hit infrastructure and industrial facilities. Mayor Serhii Nadal said five people were injured and parts of the city lost electricity.
In Lutsk, Mayor Ihor Polishchuk reported five people injured after 15 drones and six missiles hit the city. The attack damaged the roof of an apartment building, cars, commercial buildings, and a government facility.
The strikes follow a warning from Trump, who said after his June 4 call with Putin that Russia was preparing a response to Ukraine’s June 1 “Operation Spiderweb,” which reportedly damaged 41 Russian bombers. While Putin has not made a public statement about the Ukrainian operation, Trump said Russia’s retaliation would “not be pretty.”
However, Russia had already launched several heavy aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities in late May, days before Operation Spiderweb. For three consecutive nights, Ukraine endured some of the most intense airstrikes since the full-scale war began.
