Did Russia Launch 400 Drones and 40 Missiles Against Ukraine?

Kyiv, June 6 (NationPress) In a significant overnight assault, Russian military forces unleashed 400 drones and 40 missiles on Ukraine, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least four individuals and injuring numerous others, as reported by Ukrainian officials.

All four casualties took place in Kyiv, where an additional 20 individuals were injured, according to Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

The State Emergency Service confirmed that among the victims, three were emergency responders.

Furthermore, the National Police indicated that around 40 people sustained injuries nationwide, with the majority occurring in Kyiv, as well as in the northwestern city of Lutsk and the western city of Ternopil.

Reportedly, 38 facilities suffered damage during the strikes, including five apartment complexes and five private residences, as noted by Xinhua.

For residents of Kyiv, the night echoed a distressingly familiar soundscape: the shrill hum of drones, the piercing sound of air raid sirens, and the bombardment of explosions overhead—resulting from either successful interceptions by air defense systems or missiles reaching their intended targets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that Russia had executed one of its most extensive assaults since the onset of the conflict, launching over 400 drones and 40 missiles that resulted in multiple casualties and injuries, affecting nearly all regions of Ukraine, including Lviv in the west and Sumy in the northeast.

Despite the ongoing bombardment throughout more than three years of full-scale war, this recent attack was anticipated by many. The Ukrainian populace had been bracing for a significant retaliation since Sunday, following a bold strike that incapacitated more than a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile bombers.

In a conversation with former U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged that Moscow would need to respond to Ukraine's offensive.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Friday that its forces targeted two Russian airfields overnight, believed to house many aircraft that had evaded damage during Kyiv’s “Spiderweb” operation last weekend.

According to Ukraine’s air force, the Russian onslaught comprised 407 drones, six ballistic missiles, over 38 cruise missiles, and one anti-radar missile, totaling 452 projectiles. Of these, 406 were intercepted, including 32 cruise missiles and four ballistic missiles. The remaining two ballistic missiles missed their targets.

Ukrainians had prepared for a notable counteraction all week following the weekend drone strike, which impacted 34% of Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers at airbases as distant as Siberia.

Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian missile unit in the Bryansk region, striking Iskander launchers, as detailed by Ukraine’s General Staff. This strike coincided with the preparations of Russia’s 26th missile brigade to launch an attack, likely aimed at Kyiv, from the city of Klintsy.

On June 4, the Kremlin acknowledged a foiled Ukrainian attempt to strike the Crimean Bridge, claiming no damage occurred. “Indeed, there was an explosion, but nothing was damaged, and the bridge remains operational,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov during a press briefing.

Additionally, on Tuesday, Ukraine targeted the Kerch Bridge, a crucial link between Russia and the annexed Crimean Peninsula, employing 1,100 kilograms of underwater explosives.