Key Points – In a massive overnight assault on Friday, June 6th, Russia unleashed nearly 500 drones and missiles across Ukraine in retaliation for Kyiv’s “Operation Spider’s Web” bomber base strike.
-The barrage targeted multiple cities, including Kyiv and Odesa, killing at least seven people—among them, three emergency responders in the capital—and damaging civilian infrastructure like the historic Saint Sophia Cathedral.
-While Ukraine’s air force claimed a high interception rate, destroying 406 projectiles, the attack underscores Russia’s willingness to use mass aerial bombardment as its primary response, further dimming hopes for peace talks and prompting Poland to scramble its own fighter jets.
Putin’s ‘Spiderweb’ Revenge: Russia Unleashes 499 Drones & Missiles on Ukraine
Kyiv was shaken overnight by one of the most intense aerial assaults since the war began, as Russia launched a five-hour drone attack that Ukrainian officials described as “relentless.” At least one person was killed and several more were injured as explosions echoed across the capital.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia fired 315 drones and seven missiles, with the majority aimed at Kyiv. Air defences managed to intercept most of them, destroying 284 drones and all of the missiles. But the scale and duration of the attack caused widespread damage and fear.
Historic Cathedral Struck
Among the sites hit was the Saint Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a deeply symbolic part of Ukraine’s cultural and religious identity. Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi called it “the soul of all Ukraine” and said the attack struck “at the very heart of our identity.”
Fires broke out in multiple districts of the capital, and four people were taken to hospital. The attack covered seven of Kyiv’s ten districts, according to city officials, with air raid sirens keeping residents in shelters for most of the night.
Other parts of the country were also targeted. Two people were killed in Odesa and eight others were wounded at a hospital. One fatality was reported in Dnipro, and drones also hit sites in Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Chernihiv.
Zelenskyy Slams ‘Sabotage’
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes as a direct attempt to sabotage any progress toward peace. He said Russia’s drone and missile attacks were “drowning out” international efforts to bring the war to an end and called for the global community to respond with action, not silence.
Ukraine’s chief rabbi, Moshe Azman, said Russia was deliberately targeting civilian areas using Iranian-made drones. He posted on social media that the attacks were not just military but a psychological weapon aimed at exhausting the population.
Turkey Talks Continue
Military analyst Professor Michael Clarke told Sky News that although these kinds of drone attacks are not likely to change the outcome on the battlefield, they have a serious effect on civilian morale. “They’re not strategically decisive, but they bring misery,” he said.
The strikes come just days after a rare exchange of wounded prisoners between Ukraine and Russia and ongoing talks about the return of soldiers’ remains. Despite this diplomatic activity, the air assaults continue.
The message from Moscow seems clear: peace may be on the table, but not on the ground.
About the Author:
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
Russia’s Bomber Forces
