Russia unleashes devastating retaliatory strikes on Ukraine after covert Ukrainian attacks destroy Russian bomber planes, claiming multiple lives and igniting chaos across major cities.
Key Takeaways
- Russia conducted massive missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, claiming they were targeting military sites in response to “terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime”
- The attacks resulted in multiple civilian casualties, with explosions and fires reported in Kyiv, including damage to a 16-story residential building
- The assault involved hundreds of drones and various missile types, marking a significant escalation following Ukraine’s destruction of Russian bomber aircraft
- President Trump has suggested letting the countries “fight for a while” before negotiating peace, while Putin has promised severe retaliation
- Recent peace talks in Istanbul failed, with Russia rejecting an unconditional ceasefire as North Korea expresses “unconditional support” for Russia
Russia Claims Justification for Massive Strikes
Russia’s defense ministry announced a comprehensive military operation against Ukraine, involving what they described as “high-precision long-range weapons” targeting strategic military facilities. Moscow maintains these strikes were a direct response to provocations from Kyiv, specifically citing what they term “terrorist acts” carried out by Ukrainian forces. The Russian military claimed to have deployed a combination of air, sea, and ground-based weapons systems alongside attack drones in what appears to be one of the most extensive assaults of recent months. Despite Russia’s insistence that only military targets were hit, reports from Ukraine indicate significant civilian infrastructure damage.
In an official statement, Moscow’s defence ministry declared: “In response to terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime, the Russian armed forces overnight launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range air-, sea- and ground-based weapons, as well as attack drones.” This justification follows Ukraine’s recent successful strikes on Russian airbases that destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft, a humiliating blow to Russian military capabilities. Putin’s forces claim to have intercepted 174 Ukrainian drones and Neptune missiles over the Black Sea, suggesting an ongoing aerial campaign by both sides that threatens to further escalate the conflict.
Widespread Destruction in Ukrainian Cities
The Russian assault has caused extensive damage across multiple Ukrainian regions, with Kyiv suffering significant impacts. Explosions and fires were reported throughout the capital, including a blaze in a 16-story residential building and another in a metal warehouse. The city’s metro system sustained damage, though fortunately without reported injuries to commuters. Emergency services have been conducting rescue operations as the civilian death toll continues to rise. Other major cities weren’t spared either, with Ternopil experiencing what local officials described as its “most massive air attack to date.”
“The most massive air attack on our region to date,” stated Ternopil’s military chief, Vyacheslav Negoda, detailing destruction to homes, schools, and government facilities.
In Lutsk, authorities reported that Russian forces deployed 15 drones and six missiles, resulting in five injuries. The scale and coordination of these attacks suggest a meticulously planned operation designed to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and maximize damage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed for increased international pressure on Russia, arguing that failure to act against these assaults amounts to complicity. The attacks have disrupted critical infrastructure and services, compounding the humanitarian crisis faced by Ukrainian civilians after years of conflict.
Trump’s Perspective and International Reactions
President Trump has offered a characteristically straightforward assessment of the conflict, suggesting that sometimes it’s best to “let them fight for a while” before intervening diplomatically. This approach reflects his consistent position that the warring parties must reach a natural point of exhaustion before meaningful peace negotiations can succeed. Trump has also reportedly indicated that Putin expressed a strong response to Ukraine’s recent attacks on Russian strategic assets, with Moscow considering various military options for retaliation.
“Sometimes you’re better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart,” stated Trump, comparing the conflict to “two young children fighting like crazy in a park.”
The international community’s response remains divided, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressing “unconditional support” for Russia during a meeting with Russian security official Sergei Shoigu. This alignment of authoritarian powers against Western-backed Ukraine highlights the broader geopolitical implications of the conflict. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported gunfire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, likely targeting drones, though no immediate damage was reported. Recent peace talks in Istanbul failed to yield progress, with Russia rejecting calls for an unconditional ceasefire, suggesting the conflict will continue without diplomatic intervention.
Escalating Cycle of Retaliation
The latest Russian offensive appears to be direct retaliation for Ukraine’s successful covert operation that destroyed Russian bomber aircraft at military airbases. This tit-for-tat pattern has characterized much of the conflict, with each side responding to the other’s strikes with increasingly destructive attacks. Ukraine continues to target Russian military infrastructure while Russia maintains pressure on Ukrainian cities, creating a dangerous cycle that shows no signs of abating. The scale of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities has dramatically increased in recent weeks, with a significant assault in late May resulting in at least 12 civilian deaths.
“Now is the moment when America, Europe and everyone in the world together can stop this war by putting pressure on Russia. If someone does not put pressure and allows the war more time to take lives, this is complicity and responsibility,” urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasizing the moral obligation of international intervention.
Despite Zelenskyy’s pleas, the international community remains reluctant to directly confront Russia, fearing broader escalation. Meanwhile, ordinary Ukrainian citizens continue to suffer the consequences of this prolonged conflict. With neither side willing to compromise on their core objectives and peace talks yielding no progress, the devastating cycle of attacks and counterattacks seems destined to continue indefinitely. The destruction of civilian infrastructure and loss of innocent lives stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of this strategic and ideological struggle between major powers.
