On the night of June 29, 2025, Ukraine experienced the most massive air assault since the beginning of the full-scale war. Russia’s Air Forces launched a coordinated strike: mass deployment of strategic bombers, ballistic and cruise missiles, and hundreds of kamikaze drones confirmed the Kremlin’s aggression and persistence.
According to the Minister of Defense and Air Force Command, 537 aerial targets were launched in just one night — 477 drones and 60 missiles. This is a new record for the largest single attack of the war.
Scale of Attack and Weapons Used
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the offensive began on the evening of June 28 with Tu-95MS bombers launched from Murmansk region and MiG-31K jets armed with Kinzhal missiles.
The strike included:
- 477 kamikaze drones, primarily Shahed-type;
- 60 missiles, including: Iskander-M ballistic missiles, Kalibr and Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and S-300/S-400 air defense missiles.
Ukraine’s air defense systems worked at full capacity — 475 targets were intercepted, a success rate of over 88%. Nevertheless, some missiles and drones reached targets in at least eight regions.
The following areas were affected: Kyiv, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Poltava, Cherkasy, Odesa, Kherson, and Kharkiv.
Aftermath: Casualties, Damage, and Heroes
Initial reports confirm at least 6–12 civilian deaths, including children. Around 50 people were injured with varying degrees of severity.
The most serious damages were recorded in:
- Odesa — a drone hit a residential building: two killed, at least 14 injured, including children.
- Kherson, Kharkiv, Cherkasy — strikes damaged residential areas and critical infrastructure.
- Lviv region — a drone strike on an industrial site caused a large fire.
- Khmelnytskyi and Ivano-Frankivsk — partial power outages, destruction of a school and dozens of homes.
Ukraine lost one of its defenders — F-16 pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko. He downed seven aerial targets and diverted his damaged aircraft away from populated areas, saving many lives. Tragically, he did not manage to eject.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:
“Maksym Ustymenko did everything he could. He died a hero, protecting the skies over his homeland.”
Despite the tragedy, Ukraine’s air defense showed exceptional coordination: Patriot, NASAMS, IRIS-T systems, modern radar, and F-16 jets all proved their effectiveness in real combat conditions.
European partners and the U.S. are already discussing increased military support — including additional air defense systems and short-range missile platforms.
The June 29 attack marked a new phase in Russia’s terror campaign — unprecedented in scale, intensity, and the number of deployed weapons. Despite the high interception rate, Ukraine suffered significant losses, including the death of a hero pilot. The assault highlights
