Kyiv, June 7: Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone barrage against Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, overnight, killing at least four people and wounding dozens, in what it claimed was retaliation for Ukraine’s recent Operation Spiderweb targeting Russian military assets.
The Ukrainian government reported that over 400 drones and more than 40 missiles were fired across the country, with a significant concentration of strikes targeting Kyiv. The attacks triggered widespread fires, disrupted public transport, and caused power outages on the city’s eastern bank.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and urged Ukraine’s allies to escalate pressure on the Kremlin. “If someone does not put pressure and gives the war more time to take lives, they are complicit and responsible. We need to act decisively,” Zelenskyy said in a social media post.
Emergency Workers Among the Dead
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that three of the victims were emergency responders from the State Emergency Service, killed while assisting civilians during the bombardment. “They were working under fire to help people,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement. A total of 20 people were reported injured in the capital, with 16 requiring hospitalization. Search and rescue operations were still underway at multiple impact sites as of Friday morning.
The strikes severely damaged several residential areas. In the Solomianskyi district, upper floors of a high-rise building were blown out, with entire balconies and sections of the exterior wall destroyed. Fires were reported in multiple locations, including Darnytskyi district, where drone fragments ignited a blaze in another apartment block. Unconfirmed reports also indicated a shopping center in the vicinity may have been hit.
Metro and Infrastructure Disrupted
The city’s metro system was temporarily halted after a Russian strike damaged a train in transit. On Kyiv’s eastern bank, over 2,000 households remained without electricity as authorities worked to restore essential services.
Russia Justifies Strikes as Retaliation
The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that the overnight strikes were a direct response to what it described as Ukrainian “terrorist acts,” particularly Operation Spiderweb—a bold drone attack that reportedly damaged or destroyed 41 aircraft at Russian airbases.
Russia's response included the deployment of two TU-95MC and two TU-160MC strategic bombers, along with Kalibr cruise missiles launched from warships in the Black Sea. The scale of the bombardment, while significant, was reportedly smaller than anticipated, possibly due to reduced operational capacity following recent losses.
According to U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin had informed him during a phone call that a response was inevitable following the Ukrainian operation. “They went deep into Russia and [Putin] actually told me we have no choice but to attack based on that, and it’s probably not going to be pretty,” Trump told reporters, later remarking that it may be better to “let Ukraine and Russia fight for a while” rather than intervene immediately for peace.
Nationwide Damage and Calls for Action
Beyond Kyiv, air raids and missile strikes were reported across multiple regions. In Ternopil, 10 people—including five emergency responders—were injured. In the central Poltava region, three people were hurt following hits on administrative buildings, warehouses, and a café. In western Ukraine, the Khmelnytskyi region saw damage to private homes, outbuildings, and vehicles. In Lviv, Ukrainian air defence successfully intercepted three incoming Russian missiles.
Ukraine’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, called for a unified global response. “Russia is acting like a terrorist, systematically targeting civilian infrastructure,” he said on Telegram. “The world must respond clearly and take concrete steps, including condemning the aggressor’s actions.”
As Ukraine continues to grapple with the scale and frequency of Russian aerial assaults, the international community’s next steps may prove critical in shaping the trajectory of the conflict.
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