- Russia launched its largest drone attack yet, firing 479 drones and 20 missiles in retaliation for Ukraine’s strikes on Russian air bases earlier this month.
- Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 277 drones and 19 missiles, but at least 10 hit targets, injuring one civilian.
- Russia framed the assault as payback for Ukraine’s long-range drone operations, which previously damaged Russian nuclear-capable bombers.
- Despite the violence, both sides conducted a prisoner exchange, although peace talks remain stalled with no ceasefire in sight.
- The war shows no signs of ending, with Russia escalating attacks and Ukraine refusing to surrender, prolonging suffering on both sides.
The skies over Ukraine turned into a deadly battleground overnight as Russia launched its biggest drone attack since the war began, firing a staggering 479 drones and 20 missiles in a retaliatory strike for Ukraine’s daring assault on Russian air bases earlier this month. The bombardment, which Ukrainian officials say primarily targeted central and western regions, marks a dangerous escalation in a conflict with no end in sight.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russian forces focused heavily on a military airfield near Dubno, just 60 kilometers from the Polish border, in what appears to be a direct response to Ukraine’s June 1 drone strikes that damaged nuclear-capable bombers deep inside Russia. The U.S. had warned of an impending "multi-pronged" Russian retaliation, and Monday’s onslaught confirmed those fears.
A night of fire and defense
Ukrainian air defenses scrambled to intercept the swarm, reportedly downing 277 drones and 19 missiles, though officials admitted at least 10 missiles or drones struck their targets. One civilian was injured in the attacks, which lasted through the early hours of Monday.
Russia’s Defense Ministry framed the assault as payback for Ukraine’s strikes on its strategic air bases, declaring it had hit "all designated facilities." The Kremlin’s war machine has increasingly relied on Shahed drones, which are cheap, Iranian-made loitering munitions, to overwhelm Ukraine’s defenses. However, Kyiv’s improving interception rates suggest its Western-supplied air defenses are holding, for now.
The attack underscores Moscow’s determination to punish Ukraine for its audacious long-range drone operations, which have struck deep into Russian territory. Earlier this month, Ukrainian forces launched 117 drones in a single operation, damaging up to 20 Russian warplanes, including nuclear-capable bombers. While Moscow denied losses, military analysts and even Russian bloggers acknowledged significant damage.
"The war might end," said Tetiana Lytvyn, a Ukrainian woman awaiting news of missing relatives, "but for those of us with family still missing, the war will never be over until they come home." Her words reflect the reality of a conflict where civilian suffering and military escalation go hand in hand.
A war with no winners
Despite the drone onslaught, both sides conducted a prisoner exchange Monday, swapping wounded soldiers and those under 25 in a rare moment of cooperation amid relentless violence. The details are largely unknown, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky noting, “The process is quite complicated, there are many sensitive details, negotiations continue virtually every day.” Yet peace talks remain stalled, with Russia rejecting Ukraine’s demands for an unconditional ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s drone warfare capabilities continue to evolve, turning the country into an unlikely leader in autonomous military technology. But as Monday’s attack proved, Russia is willing to answer with overwhelming force.
As the war grinds into its fourth year, neither side shows signs of backing down. Russia’s latest drone barrage, which is its largest yet, proves the Kremlin’s willingness to escalate, while Ukraine’s resilience in the face of such assaults demonstrates its refusal to capitulate. With Western support wavering and Moscow digging in, the conflict risks becoming a protracted war of attrition with no clear victor and a cycle of endless suffering.
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