Ukraine says Russia launched the biggest overnight drone bombardment of
the war
[June 09, 2025]
By ILLIA NOVIKOV
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched 479 drones at Ukraine in the
biggest overnight drone bombardment of the 3-year war, the Ukrainian air
force said Monday, as the Kremlin presses its summer offensive against
the backdrop of direct peace talks.
As well as drones, 20 missiles of various types were fired at different
parts of Ukraine, according to the air force, which said the barrage
targeted mainly central and western areas of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s air force said its air defenses destroyed 277 drones and 19
missiles in mid-flight on Sunday night, claiming that only 10 drones or
missiles hit their target. Officials said one person was injured.
It was not possible to independently verify the claims.
A recent escalation in aerial attacks has coincided with a renewed
Russian battlefield push on eastern and northeastern parts of the
roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Sunday that in some of
those areas “the situation is very difficult.” He provided no details.
Ukraine is short-handed on the front line against its bigger enemy and
needs further military support from its Western partners, especially air
defenses. But uncertainty about the U.S. policy on the war has fueled
doubts about how much help Kyiv can count on.
Two recent rounds of direct peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian
delegations in Istanbul have yielded no significant breakthroughs beyond
pledges to swap prisoners as well as thousands of their dead and
seriously wounded troops.
[to top of second column]
|
Russia’s aerial attacks usually start late in the evening and end in
the morning, because drones are harder to spot in the dark.
Russia has targeted civilian areas of Ukraine with Shahed drones
during the war. The attacks have killed more that 12,000 Ukrainian
civilians, according to the United Nations. Russia says it targets
only military targets.
Ukraine has developed long-range drones that continue to strike deep
inside Russia.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Monday that it shot down 49
Ukrainian drones overnight over seven Russian regions.
Two drones hit a plant specializing in electronic warfare equipment
in the Chuvashia region, located more than 600 kilometers east of
Moscow, local officials reported.
Alexander Gusev, head of Russia’s Voronezh region, said that 25
drones had been shot down there overnight, damaging a gas pipeline
and sparking a small fire.
The Ukrainian General Staff claimed special operations forces forces
struck two Russian fighter jets stationed at the Savasleyka airfield
in Russia’s Novgorod region located some 650 kilometers from
Ukrainian border.
The statement did not say how the planes were struck.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
