Russian Missiles Drones Strikes Ukraine in Massive Retaliation

(The Post News)– On June 6, 2025, Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults of the war early Friday, firing a barrage of over 450 drones and missiles across Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring dozens more.

The large-scale strike came just days after Kyiv carried out a high-profile attack on Russia’s fleet of strategic bombers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Moscow had used more than 400 Shahed-type drones and at least 40 missiles in the overnight operation, targeting “almost all” of Ukraine. The attacks spanned nine regions from Lviv in the west to Sumy in the northeast.

In Kyiv, explosions lit up the night sky as air defences scrambled to intercept the incoming barrage. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed four deaths in the capital, while emergency services later said that three of the victims were firefighters. The full casualty count remains unclear.

Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted 406 out of the 452 projectiles, including 32 cruise missiles and four ballistic missiles. It identified the weapons used as including six ballistic missiles, 38 cruise missiles, an anti-radar missile, and hundreds of Shahed drones.

In addition to Kyiv, the city of Chernihiv near the Belarusian border suffered multiple strikes, with at least 14 explosions reported. In Lutsk, near the Polish border, five people were injured after at least four missiles hit the area, according to footage verified by CNN.

The strike is widely seen as retaliation for Ukraine’s daring “Spiderweb” operation last weekend, in which Kyiv destroyed or damaged roughly a third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers. Ukraine also targeted the Kerch Bridge earlier this week with 1,100 kg of underwater explosives, intensifying pressure on the Kremlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a Wednesday phone call with former U.S. President Donald Trump, reportedly vowed to respond to Ukraine’s attacks. However, Trump did not appear to urge restraint, drawing criticism from Ukrainian lawmakers. President Trump later likened the war to a fight between children, suggesting a hands-off approach might be more effective—comments that raised eyebrows in both Kyiv and Washington.

In a statement Friday, Russia’s Ministry of Defense justified the strikes as a response to “terrorist acts” by Ukraine. However, it remains unclear whether this attack marks the full extent of Moscow’s retaliation or signals the beginning of a broader escalation.

Ukraine’s military also reported conducting counterstrikes overnight on two Russian airfields where undamaged aircraft had been redeployed. Officials stressed that these targeted planes were responsible for launching strikes on Ukrainian cities and killing civilians.

As dawn broke over Kyiv, scenes of devastation unfolded: firefighters battled flames in apartment buildings, while residents combed through debris. Cars were damaged, streets were littered with shattered glass, and the psychological toll of yet another night of bombardment settled in.