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'479 drones, 20 missiles': Russia launches BIGGEST drone strike on Ukraine since inception of war; Kyiv downs two Russian aircraft

'479 drones, 20 missiles': Russia launches BIGGEST drone strike on Ukraine since inception of war; Kyiv downs two Russian aircraft

Russia launches BIGGEST drone strike on Ukraine since inception of war; Kyiv downs two Russian aircraft Photograph: (Reuters, Wion Web Team)

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The strikes mainly targeted central and western Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said. Most of the drones and missiles were intercepted in mid-air, with 277 drones and 19 missiles destroyed by air defences. 

Ukraine has reported the largest drone strike since the war began over three years ago, with Russia launching 479 drones overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force on Monday (June 9). Alongside the drones, 20 missiles of various types were also fired towards different regions of the country.

The strikes mainly targeted central and western Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said. Most of the drones and missiles were intercepted in mid-air, with 277 drones and 19 missiles destroyed by air defences. The air force claimed that only 10 reached their targets, and that one person was injured in the assault.

WION has not independently verified these figures.

Russia steps up its offensive and urgent call for more air defences

The wave of aerial attacks comes as Russia steps up its ground offensive in the eastern and northeastern parts of the 1,000-kilometre front line. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the situation on the battlefield remains “very difficult”, particularly in those regions.

Zelensky repeated Ukraine’s urgent need for more Western military support, especially air defence systems, to counter Russia’s growing firepower.

While two rounds of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were held in Istanbul recently, they have only resulted in agreements to exchange prisoners and the remains of fallen soldiers, with no breakthrough on a broader ceasefire or settlement.

Ukrainian forces claim strike on Russian airfield

Ukraine’s military also claimed a night-time special operation on Savasleyka airfield in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia, nearly 400 miles from the border. The base is used by Russia to launch MiG-31K jets armed with Kinzhal ballistic missiles, which have previously struck Ukrainian targets.

“According to preliminary information, two units of enemy aircraft were hit (probably MiG-31 and Su-30/34 aircraft),” said the Ukrainian general staff.

“The results of the combat operation are being clarified.”

No specific details were provided about how the operation was carried out or the extent of the damage. However, this marks another attempt by Ukraine to strike deep inside Russian territory, just a week after drones reportedly targeted Russia’s nuclear-capable bombers during Operation Spiderweb.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed it shot down 49 Ukrainian drones over seven regions of the country overnight.