A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack targeted Ukraine early Friday morning, with explosions and fires reported across the capital city of Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the assault was launched “from multiple directions,” putting the country’s air defenses on high alert.
“The attack on the capital continues. Stay in shelters!” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned residents on Telegram, as air raid sirens blared throughout the city.
Falling debris and direct drone strikes ignited fires in several residential buildings. Tymur Tkachenko, Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, confirmed that “a high-rise building in the Solomyansky district of Kyiv was damaged” and accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.
#BREAKING 🚨: looks like Russia used Orshenik Missile to target Kyiv. As you can see flashes from the missile attack. #RussiaUkraineWar #Russian #Kyiv #Airstrikes pic.twitter.com/CW6DCN11H9
— U R B A N S E C R E T S 🤫 (@stiwari1510) June 6, 2025
Additional blazes were reported in the Holosiivskyi and Darnytskyi districts, Klitschko added. In Obolon, another major area of Kyiv, Ukrainian air defense units were actively engaged in intercepting incoming threats.
BREAKING: Russia strikes back with full force!
Massive missile and drone assault rocks Ukraine’s capital Kyiv — explosions light up the skies.
Kharkiv trembles under heavy missile fire.
Putin’s message is clear: No mercy. No restraint.#RussiaUkraineWar #Kyiv #Kharkiv #Russia… pic.twitter.com/7q5qQUjBgX
— Diplomatic Talk (@WisdomInTrades) June 6, 2025
Friday’s attack appears to be a direct retaliation for a series of recent Ukrainian offensives deep into Russian territory. Earlier this week, Ukraine’s security service carried out extensive drone strikes on Russian airfields, reportedly damaging or destroying 41 military aircraft.
On Tuesday, Ukraine also struck the strategic Kerch Bridge — Russia’s only land link to the occupied Crimean Peninsula — using 1,100 kilograms of underwater explosives. The bold operation significantly disrupted logistics and highlighted Kyiv’s expanding reach in the ongoing conflict.
Peace Talks Stall Amid Rising Violence
The escalation of attacks between Ukraine and Russia comes as U.S.-brokered peace talks have failed to yield progress. High-level delegations from both countries met in Istanbul, Turkey, on Monday for a second round of negotiations, but the proposed memorandums presented by each side have not advanced in any meaningful way.
In a phone call on Wednesday between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, the peace deal proposals discussed on Monday were notably absent from the conversation, according to Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov.
A U.S. official also indicated this week that Russia appears to be preparing retaliatory measures against Ukraine following the recent drone strikes on Russian military sites.
Ukraine’s Drone Strikes Hit Hard Inside Russia
Satellite imagery reviewed by experts and ABC News confirms that at least 11 Russian bomber aircraft and one large transport plane were badly damaged or destroyed in Ukraine’s recent drone attack inside Russian territory.
The covert operation was hailed by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as one for the “history books,” underscoring the boldness and effectiveness of the strikes deep behind enemy lines.
