Russia launched a massive missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Kyiv as part of an escalation of the war
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that it had attacked military targets in Kyiv using high-precision weapons. Meanwhile, Ukraine reported that during the nighttime offensive, 315 drones were launched, of which 277 were intercepted, in addition to shooting down all seven Russian missiles. The attacks spread across the country and air raid alerts lasted more than five hours.
Russia launched one of its most intense airstrikes on Kyiv since the start of the war in 2022, causing at least three deaths. The attack was part of a series of bombings that Moscow described as retaliation for recent Ukrainian offensives on Russian territory.
During the night from Monday to Tuesday, explosions shook the Ukrainian capital. Local authorities reported that seven of Kyiv's ten districts were hit, which forced the deployment of helicopters to extinguish fires caused by missile and Shahed-type drone attacks. Three people died and at least four were injured in the capital.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, denounced the aggression and lamented that these attacks overshadowed international efforts, especially those of the United States under President Trump, to pressure Russia to negotiate peace.
In the president's words, "today was one of the largest attacks on Kyiv." The monumental complex of Saint Sophia Cathedral was also damaged, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, according to Ukrainian Minister of Culture Mykola Tochytskyi, who described it as "the soul of all Ukraine."
In the south, the port city of Odesa was the target of another nighttime drone attack that struck an emergency medical building and residential homes. Two men died, but patients and medical staff managed to be evacuated in time.
The United States condemned the attacks and called for their immediate cessation. A State Department spokesperson expressed concern and offered condolences to the victims. Both sides of the conflict deny deliberately targeting civilians, although thousands have already died in what is the worst conflict in Europe since World War II.
The recent increase in Russian offensives is linked to Ukrainian attacks carried out on June 1 against air bases inside Russia and strategic bridges, which, according to Moscow, caused at least seven deaths. In response, Russia has launched more than 1,400 drones and 78 missiles against Ukraine just in the past week, according to data from the Ukrainian Air Force.
The conflict also affected flights in Russia: operations at airports in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and other cities were temporarily suspended due to alleged Ukrainian drone attacks.
Although there have been talks between Moscow and Kyiv in recent weeks, the only concrete progress has been prisoner exchanges. Both countries accuse each other of the stalemate in negotiations. Meanwhile, Russia continues its advance in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky has called on his allies for new sanctions against Russia and more air defense systems, while US President Donald Trump has expressed his frustration over the lack of progress on both sides to end the war.
