Russia Bombards Ukraine With One of Largest Air Assaults of the War, The attack involved nearly 370 missiles and drones, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. At least 12 people were killed.
Key Points
- It seems likely that Russia launched a missile and drone attack on Kyiv on June 6, 2025, in response to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, resulting in four deaths and 20 injuries.
- The evidence leans toward the attack involving over 400 drones and 40 missiles, causing significant damage to residential areas and infrastructure.
- Research suggests Ukrainian officials, including President Zelenskyy, condemned the attack and called for international pressure, while Russian President Putin justified it as retaliation.
Background
On June 6, 2025, Russia conducted a major military operation against Kyiv, reportedly in retaliation for Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, which targeted Russian bombers. This attack has escalated tensions, with significant casualties and damage reported.
Casualties and Damage
The attack resulted in four deaths, including three firefighters, and 20 injuries, with 16 hospitalized. It caused fires in residential buildings, disrupted the metro system, and left over 2,000 households without electricity, with severe damage noted in the Solomianskyi district.
Official Statements
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged allies to pressure Russia, stating, “If someone does not put pressure and gives the war more time to take lives, they are complicit and responsible. We need to act decisively.” Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, indicated the attack was necessary due to Ukraine’s deep strikes into Russia.
Comprehensive Report on Russia’s Bombardment of Kyiv Following Operation Spiderweb
On June 6, 2025, Russia launched a significant missile and drone attack on Kyiv, reportedly in retaliation for Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, an operation that targeted Russian bombers. This event, occurring at 06:42 PM IST on the same day, has been widely reported and analyzed, with details confirming casualties, extensive damage, and diplomatic responses. The following report provides a detailed overview, drawing from multiple sources to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Context and Background
The attack on Kyiv follows Russia’s vow of revenge for Operation Spiderweb, a Ukrainian drone operation claimed to have damaged or destroyed 41 Russian aircraft, with an estimated cost of over $7 billion to Moscow, though disputed by the Russian Foreign Ministry. This operation, planned over 18 months, targeted Russian airbases, escalating tensions. Russia’s response was swift, with President Vladimir Putin informing U.S. President Donald Trump of the necessity to retaliate, stating, “They went deep into Russia and [Putin] actually told me we have no choice but to attack based on that, and it’s probably not going to be pretty.” Trump’s response suggested allowing the conflict to continue, saying, “It may be better to let Ukraine and Russia ‘fight for a while’ rather than pursue peace immediately.”
Peace talks are ongoing, with Ukraine sending a delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to Istanbul for a second round, though Russia’s lack of transparency regarding its peace memorandum raises concerns about the talks’ effectiveness.
Details of the Attack
The assault on Kyiv began overnight, involving a mix of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, Kalibr missiles, and dozens of drones, totaling over 400 drones and more than 40 missiles nationwide, as reported by President Zelenskyy. The attack caused significant damage, with fires raging through residential buildings, forcing the closure of the metro system after a train was hit. A residential block in the Solomianskyi district suffered severe damage, with upper floors, windows, balcony frames, and parts of an outer wall blown away. Drones struck high-rise apartment buildings, starting fires in the Darnytskyi district on the east side and a western district, with drone fragments found in three districts. Over 2,000 households in Kyiv’s eastern bank remained without electricity by Friday morning.
This was part of a broader nationwide assault, with additional strikes reported in Ternopil, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, and Lviv regions, where air defenses shot down three Russian missiles overnight.
Casualties and Impact
The attack resulted in four deaths, including three emergency workers—firefighters from the state emergency service—who were killed while responding to the attack, as noted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, stating, “They were working under fire to help people.” Twenty people were wounded, with 16 hospitalized. Elsewhere, 10 people were injured in Ternopil, including five emergency workers, and three were injured in the Poltava region after strikes on administrative buildings, warehouses, and a cafe. The Khmelnytskyi region saw damage to a private residential building, outbuildings, and several vehicles.
The operation of Kyiv’s metro transport system was disrupted after a Russian strike damaged a train traveling between stations, highlighting the impact on civilian infrastructure. Ukraine’s commissioner for human rights, Dmytro Lubinets, demanded a strong international response, writing on Telegram, “Russia is acting like a terrorist, systematically targeting civilian infrastructure. The world must respond clearly and take concrete steps, including condemning the aggressor’s actions.”
Official Reactions and Diplomacy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the scale of the attack, noting over 400 drones and more than 40 missiles launched, and urged allies to build pressure on the Kremlin to end the war, stating, “If someone does not put pressure and gives the war more time to take lives, they are complicit and responsible. We need to act decisively.” Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, confirmed on Telegram that “Search and rescue operations are ongoing at several locations,” reflecting the ongoing efforts to manage the crisis.
On the Russian side, the defense ministry claimed the attacks were carried out in response to what it called Ukrainian “terrorist acts” against Russia, particularly following Operation Spiderweb. This justification aligns with Putin’s earlier statement to Trump, emphasizing the perceived necessity of the retaliation.
The diplomatic landscape includes ongoing peace talks in Istanbul, with Ukraine’s delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, while Russia, led by former cultural minister Vladimir Medinsky, has received Ukraine’s memorandum but has not shared its own, as noted by Zelenskyy, who said, “We don’t have it, the Turkish side doesn’t have it, and the American side doesn’t have the Russian document either.” This lack of transparency suggests potential stalling, complicating efforts for a peaceful resolution.
Broader Context and Related Events
The attack on Kyiv is part of a longer pattern of conflict, with day 1,194 of Russia’s war on Ukraine marked by significant military actions. Ukraine reported destroying Russian bombers worth $7 billion at airbases as far as Siberia, in what Zelenskyy called Kyiv’s “longest-range operation.” This operation involved hiding explosive-laden drones in wooden sheds and loading them onto trucks, driven to airbase perimeters, hitting at least 41 Russian warplanes, according to Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service. Russia’s TASS news agency reported no casualties from this operation but noted some participants were detained.
Simultaneously, Russia launched 472 drones overnight, the highest nightly total of the war, along with seven missiles, including an attack on a Ukrainian military training ground that killed 12 soldiers and wounded over 60, leading to the resignation of Ukrainian Ground Forces commander Mykhailo Drapatyi, who felt personal responsibility for the soldiers’ deaths.
In Russia, related incidents included a bridge collapse in the Bryansk region, killing seven and injuring 69 when it fell onto a passenger train, and another bridge collapse in Kursk causing a freight train derailment, injuring a train driver. A Ukrainian drone attack on Kursk sparked fires after debris fell on private homes, indicating the conflict’s spillover effects.
Analysis and Implications
The attack on Kyiv underscores the escalating tit-for-tat nature of the conflict, with Operation Spiderweb’s success in damaging Russian aircraft provoking a fierce retaliation. The use of over 400 drones and 40 missiles suggests Russia’s intent to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses, though Ukraine managed to shoot down three missiles over Lviv. The targeting of civilian infrastructure, as highlighted by Lubinets, raises concerns about humanitarian impacts and potential war crimes, necessitating a strong international response.
The diplomatic efforts in Istanbul are critical, but Russia’s lack of transparency and Trump’s suggestion to let the conflict continue complicate peace prospects. The broader context, including bridge collapses and drone attacks in Russia, indicates the conflict’s wide-reaching effects, affecting both military and civilian targets.
Below is a table summarizing the key impacts of the attack:
| Region | Casualties | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Kyiv | 4 killed (3 firefighters), 20 injured (16 hospitalized) | Fires in residential buildings, metro disrupted, >2,000 households without electricity |
| Ternopil | 10 injured (5 emergency workers) | Not specified |
| Poltava | 3 injured | Strikes on administrative buildings, warehouses, cafe |
| Khmelnytskyi | 0 casualties reported | Damage to private residential building, outbuildings, vehicles |
| Lviv | 0 casualties reported | 3 missiles shot down by air defenses |
This table highlights the localized impacts, emphasizing Kyiv’s severity due to its status as the capital and the focus of the attack.
The bombardment of Kyiv on June 6, 2025, in response to Operation Spiderweb, resulted in significant casualties and damage, with four deaths and 20 injuries reported, alongside extensive infrastructure disruption. Ukrainian officials have called for international action, while Russian justifications and ongoing peace talks in Istanbul suggest a complex path forward. The broader conflict, marked by high drone and missile counts and related incidents in Russia, underscores the need for diplomatic resolution to mitigate further escalation.
