Russia unleashed one of the largest air attacks of the ongoing war, targeting multiple regions across Ukraine with a barrage of over 400 drones and 40 missiles, including ballistic missiles, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

This devastating assault, which killed at least six people and injured dozens, came just days after Ukraine executed a bold drone strike, dubbed “Operation Spiderweb,” targeting Russia’s strategic bomber fleet.

The Russian attack struck nine regions, from Lviv in the west to Sumy in the northeast, leaving a trail of destruction, including damaged apartment buildings and loss of life in Kyiv, Lutsk, and Chernihiv.

The Russian assault began early Friday, with Kyiv residents enduring a familiar yet terrifying night of air raid sirens, drone whirs, and explosions.

According to CNN, three firefighters were among those killed in Kyiv, while two civilians perished in Lutsk and one in Chernihiv. The Ukrainian State Emergency Service reported 80 injuries across the affected regions.

Zelensky described the attack as one of the war’s largest, with Russia’s Ministry of Defense claiming it was a response to Ukraine’s “terrorist acts,” specifically referencing Kyiv’s recent drone strikes on Russian airfields.

The scale of the attack was staggering, with Ukraine’s air force reporting that Russia launched 452 drones and missiles, of which 199 drones and 36 missiles were intercepted.

Despite these defenses, significant damage was reported, including to Kyiv’s metro system and residential buildings.

The assault was seen as a direct retaliation to Ukraine’s audacious operation that struck 34% of Moscow’s nuclear-capable bombers stationed at airfields as far as Siberia.

Ukraine’s drone attack, executed on June 1, 2025, targeted four Russian airbases, including those in Murmansk and Irkutsk, hitting 41 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and an A-50 surveillance plane.

CNN reported that Ukraine’s SBU security service meticulously planned the operation over 18 months, smuggling drones into Russia hidden in truck-mounted cabins.

These drones were launched from close proximity to the airbases, bypassing Russia’s air defenses, which were unprepared for such low-altitude, sudden attacks.

The operation was a significant blow to Russia’s long-range aviation capabilities, with analysts estimating a notable reduction in Moscow’s ability to launch large-scale cruise missile strikes.