Russia unleashed one of its most intense bombardments of Ukraine in recent months late Sunday, firing 450 missiles and drones across multiple Ukrainian cities, while retaliatory drone attacks from Kyiv disrupted operations at Moscow's major airports, forcing mass cancellations and delays that left travelers stranded for hours.
Ukraine's Air Force said 23 of the projectiles hit their targets, with debris falling in 12 different areas. In Kyiv, air raid sirens blared for eight hours overnight as explosions rocked the capital. "Russian strikes are always an assault on humanity - in Kyiv, a kindergarten caught fire, along with residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated.
Authorities in Ukraine reported at least two deaths and 16 injuries in the past 24 hours. In Kyiv's Darnytskyi district, a supermarket and multiple rooftops caught fire, while two apartment blocks and a mall were hit in central neighborhoods. One resident, Oleksandr Berdychevskyi, described being trapped in his burning apartment until he forced the door open. "There were three explosions. I was in bed when I heard the fourth," he told CNN. "The balcony was on fire."
In the city's northwest, Lukianivska subway station sustained damage during the strike, prompting residents to rush underground. "There was lots of smoke and dust," said Kateryna, who sought shelter with her husband and dog. "We all got very scared. There was a little panic... but we've all gotten used to it."
The northeastern city of Kharkiv reported 12 separate strikes. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said one missile hit near a multistory residential building in the Kyivskyi district, causing a large blaze. Other blasts shattered tramlines, roads, and power infrastructure.
Ukraine's Air Force confirmed that cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and the high-speed Kinzhal hypersonic missile-known for its difficulty to intercept-were used in the barrage. The attacks follow a pattern of Russia expanding its targets beyond the front lines. Earlier this month, Ukraine said it had faced its largest drone attack yet, involving 728 drones and 13 missiles.
Ukrainian forces, in turn, have ramped up their long-range drone operations on Russian soil. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, over 230 Ukrainian drones were intercepted since Saturday, including 27 over Moscow alone. Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed, "Two drones attacking Moscow were shot down. Emergency service specialists are working at the crash site."
The attacks caused severe air traffic disruptions. Russia's Rosaviatsia said Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports imposed flight restrictions, while two other Moscow airports temporarily closed. At least 140 flights were canceled. Social media videos showed passengers sleeping on floors and waiting in terminals for up to 12 hours. A drone crash in Rostov's Kamenolomni railway station caused delays in regional train services.
Open-source intelligence group Visoner suggested that Kyiv's drone campaign aims to overwhelm Russian air defense systems. Serhii Bratchuk of Ukraine's Defense Army Southern Division previously said Ukraine intends to disrupt Russian aviation as part of a broader counteroffensive strategy.
Despite the intensifying exchange, Zelensky reiterated his call for peace talks in Turkey this week, though skepticism remains. The last negotiations collapsed in early June after just an hour. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was "ready to move quickly" on a peace deal but emphasized that the Kremlin's "main goal" was to secure its territorial objectives. "The main thing for us is to achieve our goals," Peskov said, reiterating Russia's demands for Ukraine to relinquish claims to annexed regions and abandon its NATO ambitions.
