Putin Goes for His Revenge
Putin in 2021. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russia launched a record 499 drones and missiles in a sweeping overnight attack across Ukraine, striking multiple regions and prompting a massive Ukrainian air defense response that saw 479 projectiles intercepted.
A Massive Attack
Lancet Drone. Image Credit: Russian State Media.
The news, released by the Ukrainian Air Force, reveals the extent of Russia’s ongoing retaliation to Operation Spider’s Web, Ukraine’s successful covert drone operation that took out dozens of Russian nuclear-capable bombers.
Russia’s Military Strikes Hard
Tu-95 Bomber Russian Air Force. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
According to an official statement, Russia used 479 Shahed-type attack drones, a number of decoy drones, 10 Kh-101 cruise missiles, four Kh-47M2 “Kinzhal” ballistic missiles, two Kh-31P anti-radar missiles, and one Kh-35 cruise missile. Ukraine’s impressive defense efforts saw 187 drones and missiles jammed and 292 shot down.
Ukraine Feels the Pain
Tu-160M Bomber from Russia. Image Credit: Russian Military/Creative Commons.
Yurii Ihnat, Ukraine’s Air Force spokesman, claimed that Ukrainian airfields appeared to be the main target of Russia’s strikes, further indicating that the attack was a direct response to Spider’s Web. It was described by Ihnat as “one of the largest [aerial bombardments] that Russia has launched against Ukraine in recent times.”
Ihnat also confirmed that while most projectiles were intercepted, there were some hits – but stopped short of confirming which airbases were impacted.
Ukraine Takes More Punishment
Tu-160. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The bombardment triggered hours-long air raid alerts across the country. Sirens lasted for more than ten hours in Kyiv Oblast, with air defenses intercepting drones throughout the Boryspil district. While no casualties were reported in the nation’s capital regions, two houses, one car, and an outbuilding were reportedly damaged.
Additionally, in Rivne Oblast in northwestern Ukraine, close to the Belarusian border, the strikes caused one civilian injury. Governor Oleksandr Koval said the attacks were the largest since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war.
Zelenskyy Calls For Help
Typhon Hypersonic Missile. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.
On Sunday evening, just before the attacks began, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared on U.S. television appealing to the White House and European leaders to urgently pass new rounds of aid to Ukraine. Zelenskyy told ABC News that aerial threats against his country had intensified, and that Kyiv is looking for urgent new support from the United States.
Ukraine’s President Addresses the Issue
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon prepares to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 28, 2025. F-16s conduct combat air patrols within the USCENTCOM AOR to deter regional aggression and protect coalition partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christopher Lyons)
In his evening address on June 7, Zelenskyy made similar comments, stressing the need for “positive signals” from Washington.
“We are working to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. We urgently need positive signals from the United States – concrete signals regarding air defense systems,” Zelenskyy said. “We are still waiting for a response to our request to purchase systems that can help – concrete signals, not words.”
What Will Ukraine Do?
F-16 Fighting Falcons from both the 35th and 80th Fighter Squadrons of the 8th Fighter Wing, as well as from the 466th Fighter Squadron of the 419th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, demonstrate an elephant walk formation as they taxi down a runway during an exercise at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea Dec. 2, 2011. The exercise showcased Kunsan AB aircrews’ capability to quickly and safely prepare an aircraft for a wartime mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Rasheen Douglas/Released)
It is unclear how robust Ukraine’s air defense infrastructure is today. Reports suggested that Ukraine had only half a dozen Patriot missile defense systems available before Russia’s recent retaliations, which put strain on Ukrainian air defenses and likely impacted its dwindling supply of Patriot-compatible missiles.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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