By PulseNext
News | June 6, 2025
In one of the deadliest assaults in
recent weeks, Russia launched a wave of drone and missile attacks across
Ukraine early Friday, killing at least three emergency service workers
and injuring 49 others, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
confirmed.
The large-scale strikes targeted the capital
Kyiv, as well as the cities of Lutsk, Kharkiv, and the Ternopil
and Luhansk regions. Kyiv officials described the attack as one of the
most intense air offensives in months, with more than 400 drones and 40
missiles deployed.
“This is exactly the moment when
America, Europe, and everyone around the world can stop this war together by
pressuring Russia,” Zelensky declared in a post on X. In a sharp rebuke,
he appeared to call out former U.S. President Donald Trump, stating that
inaction amounts to “complicity”.
Putin’s Warning
and Kremlin’s Retaliation
Russia's defense ministry claimed
the strikes were retaliation for Ukraine’s recent drone assaults on Russian
airbases, which reportedly damaged dozens of warplanes. In the so-called “Spider’s
Web” operation last weekend, Ukraine's SBU used 117 drones to hit
key military targets, including 34% of Russia’s strategic cruise missile
carriers.
President Vladimir Putin had
warned Trump of a strong response following the attacks. During a lengthy
one-hour call, Trump acknowledged Putin’s intent and hinted at changing the
U.S. stance on Russia if no progress was made within two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Russian military
reported intercepting 174 Ukrainian drones and Neptune missiles
over Crimea and the Black Sea overnight.
Heavy
Casualties and Infrastructure Damage
In Kyiv, four people were
initially reported dead, with emergency sirens sounding throughout the early
morning. The city’s metro system was shut down due to damage to rail
infrastructure, forcing thousands to take shelter underground.
Air
defenses worked relentlessly to intercept the barrage, lighting up the night
sky with explosions and the buzzing of drones. Mayor Vitali Klitschko
described the event as “another brutal attempt to terrorize civilians.”
In Ternopil, regional
military chief Vyacheslav Negoda called it the “most massive air
attack on our region to date,” damaging homes, schools, and a government
facility. Five people were injured in Lutsk in a similar wave of drone
and missile strikes.
Diplomatic
Stalemate
Peace talks between Russia and
Ukraine earlier this month in Istanbul ended with no agreement. Ukraine’s
request for an unconditional ceasefire was rejected by Russian
negotiators, who instead proposed only temporary localized truces.
The war continues to escalate, with
international calls growing louder for a unified response. As Zelensky put it: “We
must act decisively.”