Overnight on 6 June, Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine, using 407 drones, 38 cruise missiles, and six ballistic missiles, according to preliminary data from the Ukrainian Air Force. Later, the Air Force published the updated data.

In a televised appearance, Yuri Ihnat, head of communications for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that the attack included various types of aerial threats, according to Liga.

“A very large number of air attack weapons are flying. Each week we are essentially breaking records for the number of assets used. Today there were ballistic and cruise missiles, and a large number of strike UAVs and drone imitators,” Ihnat said.

Ihnat emphasized the figures are early estimates and have not been formally released by the Air Force yet due to the need for thorough verification.

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Air Force preliminary assessments report the destruction of up to 30 missiles through air defense measures. Additionally, up to 200 strike drones were intercepted. A further 167 drones are currently classified as “radar lost” or disappeared from radars during the operation.

Attack route and defense deployment

According to Ihnat, Russia primarily launched its drones and missiles from the northern oblasts of Ukraine, with the projectiles advancing westward in what was described as a “crawling offensive.“

To counter the threats, Ukraine deployed anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and aviation assets. Fighter aircraft including F-16 and Mirage-2000 jets participated in the overnight operation. Ihnat noted that these units “performed quite effectively” during the night strike.

Final strike data pending

The Air Force Command is expected to release final verified statistics in its upcoming official summary, confirming the extent of the aerial attack and Ukraine’s defense performance.

Updated data

Ukraine’s Air Force reported that overnight on 6 June (starting 20:00 on 5 June), Russia launched 452 aerial attack assets at Ukraine,

• including 407 Shahed-type strike drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions,
• six Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles,
• 36 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS and Tu-160MS bombers,
• two Iskander-K cruise missiles, and
• one Kh-31P anti-radar missile.

By 10:00, Ukrainian air defenses had destroyed 406 targets:

• 199 drones were shot down, 169 suppressed or lost via electronic warfare, four ballistic missiles intercepted (two failed mid-air),
• 30 Kh-101 cruise missiles downed, and
• both Iskander-K missiles destroyed.

Airstrikes caused direct hits in 13 locations, with debris from intercepted weapons falling in 19 others.