Russia Launches Massive Aerial Assault on Ukraine, Killing Emergency Workers and Damaging Civilian Infrastructure
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 6
- 3 min read
Russia carried out one of its largest aerial offensives since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, launching overnight attacks across six regions and killing three emergency responders in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials. The strike, which spanned several hours, involved 407 drones and 44 ballistic and cruise missiles, making it one of the most intense attacks of the three-year conflict.
Ukrainian air defense forces reported shooting down approximately 200 drones and 30 cruise missiles. The bombardment caused widespread destruction and left parts of the capital and other cities without power or essential services.
The deadly assault came just hours after former U.S. President Donald Trump suggested it might be preferable to allow Ukraine and Russia to “fight for a while” before pushing for a peace agreement. The comments marked a departure from earlier statements advocating for an immediate end to the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the continued aggression, stating, “Russia doesn’t change its stripes.” Ukrainian authorities confirmed that the three emergency workers killed in Kyiv died while responding to the attacks under active bombardment. “They were working under fire to help people,” said the Interior Ministry.
Despite international diplomatic efforts, including two rounds of peace talks led by the United States, no significant progress has been made. Ukraine has proposed an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but the Kremlin has rejected the offer and remains firm on its demands.
The Institute for the Study of War noted that the Kremlin continues to falsely portray itself as open to negotiations while refusing to make any meaningful concessions.
Earlier this week, Putin reportedly told Trump he would respond to Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian air bases. In this latest assault, Russia claimed it used long-range precision weapons to hit military targets, including arms depots and drone production facilities.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attacks revealed stark differences between the two countries. “Ukraine hits legitimate military targets—such as aircraft equipped to bomb our children. Russia targets residential areas, civilians, and critical infrastructure,” he stated.
Inside Russia, air defense forces shot down 10 Ukrainian drones near Moscow, prompting temporary airport closures. Ukrainian drones also targeted three other Russian regions, damaging industrial plants and residential buildings, and injuring three people. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported shooting down 174 Ukrainian drones and three Neptune missiles across 13 regions.
Ukraine’s military confirmed strikes on Russian military targets, including airfields, fuel depots, and transport infrastructure. In Belgorod, a train derailed after an explosion damaged the railway, in what Russian officials called a Ukrainian sabotage operation.
In Kyiv, the attacks sparked fires across several districts due to falling drone debris. Residents described harrowing moments as explosions rocked the city. Fourteen-year-old Vitalina Vasylchenko sheltered in a parking garage with her mother and younger sister. “I heard a buzzing sound, then a loud explosion. My whole life flashed before my eyes,” she said.
Multiple neighborhoods in Kyiv sustained damage, with fires reported in residential buildings, including one on the 11th floor of a high-rise. Emergency crews rescued three residents from the blaze. The Kyiv City Administration said more than 2,000 households lost electricity on the eastern bank of the city.
The western city of Ternopil also suffered from aerial strikes, injuring 10 people, damaging infrastructure, and disrupting water and power supplies. Three others were wounded in Poltava, while attacks were also reported in Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, and Chernihiv regions.
Ukraine’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, called for a firm global response. “Russia is acting like a terrorist, systematically targeting civilian infrastructure,” he said. “The world must respond clearly and take concrete steps, including condemning the aggressor’s actions.”
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