Every new Russian shelling of Kharkiv results in thousands of broken windows and damage, says Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, UkrInform reports. 

“Currently, the need for windows exceeds 50,000. Every strike increases this number by another thousand, one and a half, two. The record was more than five thousand in one attack,” the mayor reveals.

Municipal services promptly seal off the building envelopes to preserve heat and ensure residents’ safety. Some construction materials are provided by charitable organizations, but, according to Terekhov, the volumes are significantly less than in previous years of the war.

“We are receiving very little now from the funds. The assistance is shrinking, probably due to a lack of financial resources. And it’s not getting easier for us,” the mayor continues.

Volunteers actively help municipal workers eliminate the consequences of the strikes, especially in hard-to-reach buildings.

For example, in a 24-story building in the Saltivka district damaged during the night shelling on 12 June, construction materials had to be carried up manually because the elevators were without power.

The mayor also emphasizes that after each attack, Kharkiv residents unite and support the municipal and emergency services. He recalls an incident when, during a morning shelling on Hymnaziyna Embankment, a local resident brought sandwiches to workers clearing the damage.

Today, there is a lot of interesting updates from the Russian Federation.

Here, Ukraine is launching a coordinated campaign across Russia’s military-industrial heartland, to cripple the Kremlin’s ability to wage high-tech war. With a devastating cyberattack on the Tupolev Design Bureau and precision strikes on microelectronics plants, Ukraine is not just targeting weapons, it is forcing Russia’s production capabilities back to the stone age.

The Ukrainian Operation Spiderweb inflicted significant losses on Russia, with 25 strategic aircraft confirmed damaged or destroyed. Notably, Russian authorities are already trying to hide the extent of the damage by swapping out destroyed bombers for intact ones taken from airfields not hit by the strikes.

To complement the severe blow against the Russian strategic bomber aviation, the Ukrainian Military Intelligence conducted an extensive cyberattack on the Tupolev Design Bureau, which designs and produces all Russian strategic bombers. Ukrainian intelligence gained access to more than 4 gigabytes of sensitive data. The leaked files include internal correspondence between company executives, personal data of employees, home addresses, biographies of engineers and designers, procurement documents, and classified disclosures from closed-door meetings. 

The breach provides Ukrainians with comprehensive insight into operations and personnel involved in maintaining Russia’s strategic aviation fleet. This information could be used for the sabotage of the plant through low-ranking aviation engineers who can be recruited into Ukrainian information networks, with humans always being the weakest link in such large-scale organizations. 

Additionally, to cement the inability of Russians to rebuild their strategic bomber fleet, the Ukrainians decided to strike factories that produced other high-tech components necessary for the Russian war effort. These factories produce various microchips and technology essential in the production of Russian bombers, tanks, missiles, guidance systems, vision sights, and radars.

The Ukrainians most recently struck the Avangard microchip and radio-electronics factory in Saint Petersburg. While Russian media initially claimed that all Ukrainian drones were intercepted, Russian emergency services confirmed a major fire in the section of the plant responsible for microchip production and assembly. Thick black smoke was seen rising from the facility, with the blaze covering around 100 square meters.

Before that, Ukrainian drones targeted the Bolkhov Semiconductor Device Plant, scoring multiple direct hits on the main building. The explosions triggered extensive fires that spread across the facility, causing significant damage and putting the factory out of commission.

Earlier, the Strela microelectronics plant in the town of Suzemka, Bryansk region, was struck. Located just 8 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, it was within range of HIMARS strikes, which caused the most extensive damage of all the targeted Russian military-industrial plants. Satellite imagery later confirmed that nearly the entire facility was destroyed, leaving no operational production capacity.

Finally, the Ukrainians hit the Kremniy El microelectronics plant in the city of Bryansk, delivering multiple strikes that ignited a large fire throughout the site. This was the fifth attack on the plant since the start of the war, but the latest damage appears to be the most devastating yet.

The Ukrainian strikes had a major impact, targeting key sites in Russia’s military-industrial complex. The Avangard plant, where a massive fire broke out, produces radio electronics, microchips, and communication systems used in ballistic and cruise missiles, with even Russian authorities listing it as one of the most strategically important facilities. 

The strike on the Bolkhov plant was even more severe, disrupting the production of critical components for Sukhoi fighter jets, Iskander ballistic missiles, and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. The Strela plant in Suzemka, which produces microchips for systems like the Tor air defense platform, was entirely reduced to rubble and must be rebuilt from the ground up.

Meanwhile, the Kremniy El plant in Bryansk, one of Russia’s largest microelectronics producers, supplied parts for Pantsir systems and Iskander missiles. These strikes severely limit Russia’s ability to produce advanced weaponry, forcing a shift to lower-tech solutions that reduce combat effectiveness and increase frontline losses.

Overall, the Ukrainians conducted some of the most devastating strikes on the Russian military industry in recent months. With over thirty percent of Russia’s nuclear-capable strategic bombers destroyed, Ukrainians are now starting to dismantle their ability to build these weapons entirely. The breach of the Tupolev Design Bureau internal systems means now Ukraine possesses Russia’s most sensitive data on its strategic bombers designs and still active aircraft fuelling future precision strikes and combat operations that place the remaining Russian fleet at serious and growing risk. 

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Today, there is important news from the Russian Federation.   

Here, Ukraine exploited the chaos after its devastating Operation Spiderweb and targeted more Russian airfields with long-range drones, while the Russians were too busy to check every truck on their road network because of the paranoia that more Ukrainian drones may pop out at any moment. 

As details continue to surface, it is clear that Ukraine executed Operation Spiderweb in spectacular fashion, destroying a third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in a single coordinated drone strike on multiple airbases deep inside enemy territory. Satellite imagery continues to surface, raising the number of confirmed losses and solidifying the operation as an unparalleled success in modern military history, with some analysts drawing comparison to how nuclear bombs changed the way wars can play out.

But despite this tremendous success, Ukrainian forces were far from finished. Capitalizing swiftly on the chaos and panic gripping the Russian defense systems, Ukraine quickly unleashed further drone assaults on key Russian airfields. 

Notably, overnight drone strikes targeted military airbases in Borisoglebsk and Tikhoretsk. In Tikhoretsk, newly constructed hangars were set ablaze, suggesting damage or destruction of aircraft concealed inside. Meanwhile, the Borisoglebsk airbase experienced a particularly heavy drone barrage, leading to confirmed fatalities among Russian Air Force personnel.

Though Russian officials hastily assured the public that no aircraft were harmed in the attack, the human casualties represent severe losses, as training pilots and air force personnel, particularly instructors, takes years and substantial resources, deepening Russia’s military setbacks.

The aftermath of Operation Spiderweb extended well beyond physical destruction, dramatically impacting Russian domestic logistics and economy due to unprecedented paranoia about possible further truck-based drone attacks. Russian authorities, gripped by panic and desperate to prevent further humiliating strikes, now view nearly every truck as a potential threat. Across Russia, widespread checkpoints and roadblocks have been hastily established, resulting in kilometers-long traffic jams of trucks awaiting rigorous inspections. 

Videos circulating online illustrate hundreds of immobilized trucks, indicating that Russia’s extensive and crucial domestic road transport network is grinding to a halt. While the economic repercussions are difficult to predict precisely, the sheer scale of Russia and its heavy reliance on road transport suggests a prolonged paralysis that will almost certainly disrupt critical supply chains, harming economic productivity for weeks to come. This will also lead to delays in military logistics, which will hurt Russia’s summer offensive in Ukraine.

Amid this growing logistical chaos, Russia’s internal response has devolved into a frenzied search for scapegoats. Prominent Russian media figures and military analysts were humiliated by the effectiveness of the Ukrainian operation. Additionally, the blame and anger fell on the role ordinary citizens and conscripts played in documenting and circulating results and evidence of the attacks online by posting footage of the strikes. These videos not only boosted Ukrainian morale but also provided vital intelligence, allowing Ukraine to assess the precision and success of their strikes and to plan even more devastating future operations.

This frenzied climate has triggered widespread arrests, as Russian security services desperately detain anyone remotely connected to the strikes. Notably, a couple accused of housing one of the warehouses used to stage the drone attacks has already been arrested. Another individual, a truck driver involved in transporting a Ukrainian drone container, claimed ignorance, asserting he was simply instructed to meet someone at a location.

Panic and hysteria during the operation spiraled so much out of control that another truck driver was brutally killed by an angry mob, highlighting the volatile and dangerous situation rapidly unfolding within Russian society with each Ukrainian success.

Overall, though Operation Spiderweb formally concluded, it continues to profoundly destabilize Russia, creating further tactical and strategic opportunities for Ukraine. The initial operation ignited panic across Russia, which Ukrainian forces promptly exploited through timely follow-up drone strikes, delivering additional damage to Russian airfields.

Meanwhile, Russia remains preoccupied, hunting feverishly for additional hidden threats in trucks spread across its vast territory. With Russian society descending into paranoia and uncertainty, it remains unclear when and where Ukraine’s next surprise attack will occur, ensuring that Russia’s strategic leadership remains in confusion and dread.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Ukraine launched overnight drone strikes on Russian military infrastructure and Russian-occupied power facilities, including an airfield in Rostov Oblast and energy infrastructure in occupied parts of southern Ukraine, leading to damage and power outages.

Millerovo air base targeted in drone attack

In the early hours of 5 June, explosions were reported across Russia’s Rostov Oblast, adjacent to eastern Ukraine’s occupied Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. According to Russian news Telegram channel Astra, local residents claimed that a military airfield in Millerovo came under drone attack. Acting governor of Rostov Oblast Yuriy Slyusar later confirmed that drones were active in the Millerovo district, though he did not explicitly confirm an attack on the airfield.

He stated that debris from the downed drones allegedly caused damage in the village of Sulin, hit structures on two properties on Dachna Street. One house ostensibly had a partially destroyed roof, while another suffered broken windows and torn electric wiring. He added that “No civilians were injured according to emergency services on the ground. The military continues to repel the enemy’s attack. Information is being clarified.”

Occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts suffer blackouts

In a separate development, Russian-installed “Kherson Oblast governor” Vladimir Saldo claimed that more than 120,000 people in Russian-occupied parts of Kherson Oblast were left without electricity and water after a strike on a main transformer substation.

The hit allegedly occurred at 23:10 and resulted in a total blackout for 192 settlements across seven “municipal districts” – a term not used in Ukraine’s territorial structure – including Henichesk, Novotroitske, and Velyka Lepetykha.

Occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast reportedly also experienced blackouts. Head of the Russian occupation administration in the region, Yevgeny Balitsky, blamed Ukrainian forces for shelling the area, stating that “no fewer than five explosions were recorded over Melitopol,” along with an attempted strike on a power substation. Power outages were reported in parts of Melitopol, Prymorsk, Enerhodar, and Akimivka.

Exclusives

Ukraine’s jets adopt Western tactics, learn to hunt in packs. More Ukrainian air force pilots are flying and fighting in complex teams.

Bedtime stories and ballistics: How Ukraine’s children are growing up fast. Ukrainian psychologist Oksana Pisareva says kids in therapy talk about missiles, not monsters.

“They trample corpses”: Ukraine’s Muslim leader-turned-medic exposes what Russians really fight for. As Russian soldiers crawl over their own dead, Ukraine’s ex-mufti saves the lives they claim — revealing what really drives the world’s second army to raze peaceful cities.

Military

Russia captures Sumy’s Kostiantynivka village as Russians try to widen frontline in region. ISW and DeepState report mounting pressure as Moscow’s troops seize new ground in Sumy Oblast.

This is how Ukrainian drones destroy Russian bombers that attack Ukraine in surprise Spiderweb operation

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) revealed that when communication was severed, the drones continued missions using pre-programmed routes and AI algorithms before automatically activating warheads at designated targets.

Drone hits house in Russian Kursk oblast, woman injured. Russian air defense systems intercepted seven Ukrainian drones across three regions overnight, with two shot down over Kursk region, the Defense Ministry claimed.

Russian missile hits Ukrainian training ground in Poltava, servicemen wounded. A Russian missile attack on a Ukrainian military training facility in Poltava Oblast on 4 June left servicemen wounded, marking the second such strike on Ground Forces training units within four days.

As of 4 JUN 2025, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• • • Personnel: 991820 (+1020)
    • Tanks: 10884 (+3)
    • APV: 22678 (+7)
    • Artillery systems: 28711 (+88)
    • MLRS: 1402
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 1176
    • Aircraft: 413
    • Helicopters: 336
    • UAV: 38924 (+176)
    • Cruise missiles : 3271
    • Warships/boats: 28
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 50730 (+123)

Intelligence and technology

Russia ramps up Shahed production to 170 daily, eyes 190 by year-end. Russian engineers have doubled the explosive payload in Shahed drones from 50 to 90 kilograms while introducing new warhead types targeting specific objectives, according to Ukraine’s intelligence services.

UK drone deliveries to Ukraine jump from 10,000 to 100,000 in 2025. The UK government will invest a record $474 mn in drone production for Ukraine this year, scaling up from the 10,000 drones delivered in 2024 to an ambitious target of 100,000 units, the Defence Ministry announced.

International

Netherlands announces new maritime security support package for Ukraine worth $456 million. The package will consist of over 100 naval vessels, including ships, patrol boats, transport boats, interceptors, special operations vessels, and 50 maritime drones, according to Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans

Putin tells Trump in phone call he will retaliate recent Spiderweb drone operation on Russian airfields. Trump also emphasized that this was not a conversation that “will lead to immediate peace.”

US senator compares Ukrainian Spiderweb drone operation to anti-terror bin Laden killing. Richard Blumenthal believes that the recent Ukrainian surprise drone attack that hit 41 Russian aircraft could “shift momentum in Washington in favor of increasing aid for Ukraine.”

Trump envoy warns Ukrainian strikes on Russian bombers push conflict toward dangerous escalation. Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine warned that recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian strategic bomber bases might push the war toward dangerous escalation

Ukraine’s diplomat slams UN for passing World’s Horse Day resolution while ignoring more pressing global issues. Serhii Kyslytsia contrasted this decision with years of resistance Ukraine faced in the UN when trying to establish a day against disinformation while fighting Russia, who remains a UN member.

US Defense Secretary skips Ukraine meeting for first time since creating it. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will miss Wednesday’s gathering of 50 defense ministers coordinating military aid for Ukraine. The absence marks the first time since 2022 that America’s top defense official has skipped the meeting the US originally created.

Frontline report: Putin knew Serbia’s weapons were in Ukraine — now he’s making it personal. Serbian ammo has been showing up in Ukraine for years. Only now, with a factory in flames, is Putin pretending to be shocked.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukraine and Russia to exchange prisoners of war this weekend — only result of Istanbul peace talks. The exchange is expected to involve 1,200 prisoners from each side.

95 Russian drones target Ukraine overnight: Kharkiv hit for 90 minutes straight. Russian forces pummeled Kharkiv with drones and missiles for 90 consecutive minutes overnight, leaving one man hospitalized and seven buildings damaged across Ukraine’s second-largest city.

Ukrainian media groups demand True Story Festival drop Russian speakers, add Ukrainian journalists. Ukrainian media organizations demanded True Story Festival organizers remove Russian speakers from the June event in Bern, citing five Russian representatives scheduled for war-related sessions while no Ukrainian journalists appear on the programme.

Other developments

ISW: Russia continues to want Ukraine’s “complete destruction.” Russian missile stockpile only grows. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev stated that Moscow’s peace negotiations in Istanbul must result in the Ukrainian government’s elimination rather than compromise.

Read our earlier daily review here

In the cold December of 2023, Russia launched the most intense massive missile and drone strikes on Ukraine since the start of the war.

The most devastating came on 29 December, when Russia fired around 158 aerial targets, including various types of missiles. Approximately 55 people were killed, and over 170 were injured.

That same month, Ukraine began planning its largest-ever operation against Russian aircraft — and activated it in June 2025, launching hundreds of drones from trucks prepared by covert agents.

“The planning, organization, and every detail were perfectly executed. It’s safe to say this was a truly unique operation,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained.

A senior US defense official told CNN that Ukraine’s attack showed a level of sophistication that they had not seen before.

The official added that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth received regular updates on the operation during his visit to Joint Base Andrews on 1 June but had not yet spoken to his Ukrainian counterparts.

This chain of events unfolded as Russia and Ukraine returned to tense peace talks in Istanbul, shadowed by uncertainty. Ahead of the talks, US President Donald Trump had voiced frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s resistance to advancing the negotiations.

Putin had proposed “direct talks” in Turkiye earlier in the month but failed to appear, even after Zelenskyy agreed to the meeting. In the end, both countries sent only low-level delegations.

Following Ukraine’s 1 June high-profile Spiderweb drone operation that targeted nuclear-capable Russian bombers deep inside Russian territory, US President Donald Trump has not issued any public comment. Meanwhile, MAGA influencers are reacting with suspicion, warnings, and accusations of US involvement, Axios reported late on 2 June.

While officials and media in Ukraine praised the operation’s scale and success, voices within Trump’s MAGA movement sharply criticized it, according to Axios. Some expressed anger that Trump had not been informed of the strike in advance. Others framed the event as a provocation with potential global consequences.

Influencers speculate about US role

On Steve Bannon’s “War Room,” pro-Trump commentator Jack Posobiec questioned the possibility of US involvement in planning. Charlie Kirk, a leading MAGA activist, said, “Seems very much on the interior of Russia. I sure hope America had nothing to do with it.”

Rogan O’Handley, who runs the DC Draino account, claimed — without providing evidence — that the strike was “intentionally conducted to drag America into WW3.” Former Pentagon official Dan Caldwell warned of direct risks: “US should not only distance itself from this attack but end any support that could directly or indirectly enable attacks against Russian strategic nuclear forces.”

Meet First Contact’s Osa: Ukrainian FPV drone used to strike Russian bombers in Spiderweb operation

Longstanding MAGA hostility toward Zelenskyy and Ukraine

Axios noted that MAGA-aligned figures have consistently criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and framed Ukraine as a corrupt and untrustworthy actor. Military actions by Ukraine, even against legitimate military targets, often provoke stronger backlash within the Trump-aligned sphere than Russian daily strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

“Zelensky and any Ukrainian military operations against Russian troops have been met with hostility from MAGA for years,” Axios wrote.

Trump himself has issued occasional criticism of Russian attacks but remains largely quiet on many events involving Ukraine

Axios highlighted growing pressure on Trump from different factions within the Republican Party. While some GOP senators advocate for tougher stances on Russia, the MAGA base demands disengagement from Ukraine and views the country with deep suspicion.

Ukrainian drones struck Russian airfields, prompting international airlines to reconsider continuing operations in Russia.

The world’s largest long-haul carrier, Emirates, says it plans to review its flights to Russia. This decision comes amid Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian soil, which have caused flight cancellations and route changes, according to company president Tim Clark, Bloomberg reports. 

He adds that the airline does not currently plan to reduce the number of flights but will monitor the situation closely.

“This latest event was a little more worrying. As things get a little bit more acute, if I can use that word, we’ll be reviewing all of this,” Clark notes. 

Clark also reveals that Emirates has developed “ironclad” contingency plans, including carrying enough fuel for pilots to exit Russian airspace or avoid landing near Moscow if necessary.

Emirates and Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus remain among the few foreign airlines still flying to Russia, while others abandoned this market after 24 February 2022.

Earlier, Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of Defense Express, said that Russia has no way to replace the aircraft it lost in the Operation Web. Among the lost jets, the Tu-160 supersonic missile carriers, developed during the Soviet era, are especially valuable.

Russia cannot produce new Tu-160s or Tu-95s — only repair Soviet-era ones, says expert after Ukraine’s historic Spiderweb operation

He noted that Russia has only about 18 of them left, and not a single one was built from scratch after the Soviet Union collapsed.

Ukraine strikes Russian strategic bomber airbases in Murmansk and Irkutsk Oblasts with kamikaze drones, targeting aircraft about 2,000 and over 4,000 km from the frontline. Footage from the sites shows massive fires and burning aircraft. The operation has been conducted by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), according to unofficial reports.

Drone attacks in Olenya and Belaya airbases

Ukrainian FPV kamikaze drones attacked strategic bomber airbases deep within Russian territory, according to reports by Ukrainian and Russian Telegram channels. The strikes targeted the Olenya airbase in Murmansk Oblast—approximately 2,000 km north of Ukraine—and the Belaya airbase in Irkutsk Oblast, located 4,300 km to the east. 

Residents near Belaya reportedly captured footage of FPV drones hitting the airfield, followed by multiple explosions. The Olenya airbase was also struck, and open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts from Cyberboroshno identified the location in videos showing destroyed strategic bombers.

One of the videos, published by multiple Telegram channels, shows drone footage of fires at Belaya airbase, with voice-over commentary by SBU head Vasyl Maliuk, confirming the strike.

FPV drones were delivered to both bases by motor vehicles

In Irkutsk, Supernova+ reported that a long-haul truck stopped near the Belaya airbase and began launching FPV drones from its trailer, which then targeted parked aircraft and facilities on-site.

Similar accounts emerged from Murmansk Oblast. In one video, the narrator states:

“A long-haul truck arrived in Olenegorsk, the driver is running around frantically, FPV drones are flying out of his truck. The traffic police have just arrested him. He says, ‘I was told to come here, that someone would meet me. The drones are flying out one after another.’“

Visual evidence, allegedly from this attack indicated it was not a truck but a van towing a trailer in Murmansk Oblast. Later, it turned out that the images of the van were old.

Damage to aircraft and confirmed targets

According to analysis of the available video materials, at least four Tu-95 strategic bombers—used by Russia to conduct missile strikes on Ukrainian territory—were reportedly destroyed at Olenya airbase, Militarnyi says.

Ukrainian Telegram channel Supernova+ published multiple videos from both Murmansk and Irkutsk Oblasts, claiming there were at least 10 explosions at Olenya.

Another channel, Exilenova+, posted footage of Tu-95MS bombers engulfed in flames at Olenegorsk, Murmansk Oblast.

Russian Migalovo airbase hit by kamikaze drones, reports confirm (video)

First drone strike in Irkutsk Oblast

This marks the first time Irkutsk Oblast has been attacked by drones since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

Russian site Meduza says the drones were reportedly spotted in the Usolsky district, with settlements such as Sredniy and Novomaltinsk coming under attack. The Belaya military airfield in this area houses Tu-22M3 bombers.

SBU operation “Web” targets Russian bombers

Ukrainian publication Babel, citing sources within the SBU, reported that the strikes were part of a planned special operation dubbed “Pautyna” (“Web”), carried out on 1 June.

Babel’s report added that the FPV drones were deployed to target aircraft involved in bombing Ukrainian cities and towns. The damages from this operation are estimated to exceed $2 billion, according to the source. 

Read the follow-up:

“Trojan truck attack”: Ukraine used AI-trained FPV drones launched from trucks to destroy “34%” of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in a day

Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine overnight on 28 May. Russia attacked Ukraine with six ballistic and guided missiles and 88 strike drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.

Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 71 drones. Another 37 were lost locationally. Strikes hit eight locations, the Air Force reported.

At least 16 explosions were heard in Kharkiv overnight. These were sounds of explosions occurring in the oblast, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Three men aged 51, 43 and 59 were injured in Vasyshcheve. A four-year-old girl suffered an acute stress reaction, reported regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

In Eskhari, two men aged 63 and 80 and two women aged 63 and 71 were injured, according to Syniehubov.

Russian forces attacked Svitlovodsk in Kirovohrad Oblast overnight on 28 May. An industrial enterprise and residential buildings were damaged, Kirovohrad Oblast Governor Andriy Raykovych said.

A fire broke out at the enterprise. According to Raykovych, there are three injured people. Two were hospitalized. The attack also damaged 76 private houses and one 9-story building.

More than 1,400 consumers lost electricity. A commission is inspecting damaged buildings in Svitlovodsk, the Svitlovodsk community reported on Facebook.

Russian forces attacked communities in Mykolaiv Oblast with drones and missiles overnight on 28 May. A child was wounded and 200 consumers lost power, the Mykolaiv regional military administration reported.

Drones attacked Halytsyny community. A 7-year-old girl received minor injuries, the regional administration reported. Two houses and three cars were also damaged.

Around 02:00 am on 28 May, Russian forces attacked the city of Ochakiv with a missile. A recreational facility was damaged there.

Shaheds also attacked Snihuriv community overnight. A non-residential building, two residential houses and power lines were damaged in the village of Vasylivka. 200 subscribers lost power. Electricity supply was almost restored by morning, the regional administration reported.

Two people were wounded in overnight Russian shelling in Kherson, the city military administration reported. A 74-year-old resident of Antonivka came under Russian drone attack the previous evening. An 83-year-old man came under fire in Dniprovskyi district. 

According to Air Force data, none of the five Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were shot down. A guided Kh-59/69 aviation missile was not shot down either. Some 71 drones were neutralized: 34 were shot down and 37 were locationally lost or suppressed by electronic warfare.

Strikes hit eight locations, the Air Force confirmed.

In the early hours of 26 May, Russia launched what Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as the “largest drone attack since the start of the full-scale war.” A total of 355 explosive and decoy drones and 9 air-launched cruise missiles targeted Ukraine from various directions including Bryansk, Kursk, and occupied Crimea, according to the Air Force. The air assault targeted factories and residential areas in multiple cities, injuring a teenager in Odesa. Other Russian attacks killed four and injured at least 17 Ukrainian civilians, according to local authorities and Ukraine’s Emergency Service.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported intercepting all 9 Kh-101 missiles and neutralizing 288 drones, using a combination of aviation, air defense missile systems, electronic warfare, and mobile fire groups. Despite these efforts, drone impacts were recorded in five locations, and debris fell in ten areas.

Figures from the Air Force indicate that over 60 Russian drones may have reached their targets — marking a notably lower interception rate compared to previous attacks.

Trump slams Putin as “crazy” after deadly Russian attack, but also blames Zelenskyy and Biden

Kharkiv Oblast: Explosions, fires, and casualties

According to Suspilne Kharkiv, 13 explosions were heard starting at 00:33 in Kharkiv. Kharkiv and its suburbs were under Russian drone attack, confirmed by Oleh Syniehubov, head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration (OVA). In Vasyshcheve near Kharkiv, a private enterprise caught fire after being hit by drones, as reported by the State Emergency Service.

While not attributing any casualties to the Shahed drone assault, Syniehubov stated that over the past 24 hours, other Russian strikes on six settlements in Kharkiv Oblast killed two women, 84 and 58, and injured a 60-year-old man and two women aged 76 and 68. 

Kyiv: Third night of aerial terror

According to Kyiv’s City Military Administration, Kyiv was attacked for the third consecutive night. A six-hour air raid saw damage in Dniprovskyi and Desnianskyi districts, including shattered windows in a residential building and drone fragments hitting a garage and a restaurant area.

Officials reported no injuries.

Russia’s massive missile and drone assault kills at least 12 civilians, injures 52, between two prisoner swaps

Odesa Oblast: Teenager injured, homes damaged

Odesa’s OVA and Emergency Service confirmed that drones caused the destruction of a detached home and fires in Velikodolynske. Several private homes, outbuildings, and vehicles were also damaged.

A 14-year-old boy was injured, suffering leg wounds, and received on-site medical treatment.

Khmelnytskyi Oblast: Missiles and drones hit Starokostiantyniv area

In the Starokostiantyniv community, hosting one of Ukraine’s airbases, Russia used a combined missile and drone strike, according to Khmelnytskyi Oblast head Serhii Tiurin.

Though no civilians were hurt, four enterprises suffered damage to warehouses, workshops, and admin buildings, while 18 residential homes, one outbuilding, and a power line were damaged.

Zaporizhzhia: Two injured in Yurkyvka

Zaporizhzhia’s Yurkyvka village was shelled by Russian forces on 26 May, said oblast head Ivan Fedorov. A 60-year-old woman and a 52-year-old man were injured and received medical assistance. A detached house was destroyed in the attack.

Sumy: One dead, one wounded in artillery strike

Russian artillery hit Kindrativka in Sumy’s Khotin community, killing a 48-year-old man and injuring a 52-year-old civilian, who was treated at the scene, the Oblast Administration reported.

Donetsk Oblast: Six civilians injured

On 25 May, six civilians were injured in Donetsk Oblast due to Russian attacks, regional officials confirmed.

Russia attacks Ukraine with record 273 drones, leaving one dead, multiple injured in Kyiv Oblast

Kherson: Civilian deaths and injuries

Between the mornings of 25 and 26 May, one person was killed and four others wounded in Kherson Oblast, according to its administration.

At around 10:00 this morning, a drone strike in Kherson’s Korabelnyi district injured a 46-year-old woman, who suffered a blast injury and concussion, and was treated as an outpatient.

Poland scrambles jets as precaution

Due to Russian air activity over Ukraine, Poland’s Armed Forces deployed Polish and allied aircraft, warning of increased noise over southeastern Poland.

The operational command called it the second consecutive “very intense night” for their air defense systems.

Zelenskyy: Political message, not military strategy

President Zelenskyy commented that the sheer scale of the Russian air attack had “no military logic”, arguing it was instead a political signal.

“Only the feeling of total impunity can allow Russia to strike like this,” he said.

The Ukrainian President called on international partners to increase sanctions and block Russian oil trade and financial flows to deprive Moscow of its war resources.

“This is how Putin shows his contempt for a world that puts more effort into “dialogue” with him than into applying pressure. Like any criminal, Russia can only be restrained by force. Only through strength — the strength of the United States, the strength of Europe, the strength of all nations that value life — can these attacks be fully stopped and real peace achieved,” Zelenskyy said.