Russia Unleashes Waves of Strikes Across Ukraine
Russia launched an extensive wave of drone and missile attacks targeting Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and numerous other regions early on Friday. Officials across the country described the assault as “massive,” unfolding just days after Ukraine carried out its most significant long-range drone operation against Russian military targets.
The aerial barrage struck areas stretching from the capital and central regions to the north-west, including the cities of Lutsk and Ternopil, and also impacted Kharkiv, Sumy, Volyn, Lviv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv, affecting almost all of Ukraine.
Widespread Impact and Rising Casualties
The strikes inflicted significant damage and caused casualties. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially reported at least three people killed, identifying them as employees of the state emergency services, with 49 others injured. However, reports from Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and other sources indicated varying initial casualty figures, with one report citing 80 injured and four killed, including first responders. Later confirmations detailed 3 deaths and 23 injuries in Kyiv alone.
In Kyiv, the assault hit a residential building, caused fires in others, damaged civilian infrastructure, and disrupted daily life. Metro services on the Darnytsia-Livoberezhna line were halted due to damaged tracks and cables. Tens of thousands sought refuge in underground shelters as air raid alerts sounded nationwide. Eyewitnesses in Kyiv described hearing prolonged machine gun fire from air defenses, the distinctive buzz of drones overhead, bright flashes of light, and thunderous explosions.
Ternopil’s military chief, Vyacheslav Negoda, called it the “most massive air attack” on his region to date. The city’s mayor reported five injuries and damage to homes, schools, and a government facility. Lutsk was also hit, with its mayor reporting 15 drones and six missiles striking the city, injuring five people, though other reports suggested at least one fatality and 27 injured, with fears of more trapped. Damage in Lutsk included apartment building roofs, vehicles, and commercial properties.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported Russia launched a total of 452 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed types, and 45 missiles of various types, such as Kalibr cruise missiles and an Iskander-M ballistic missile. Ukrainian air defenses reportedly intercepted 199 drones and 36 missiles, while 169 drones dropped off radar, possibly deployed as decoys.
Retaliation for Ukraine’s ‘Spider’s Web’ Operation
Russia’s defense ministry stated the large-scale strikes were a direct response to “terrorist acts by the Kyiv regime,” claiming they targeted military sites. They asserted their forces used “high-precision long-range air, sea and ground-based weapons, as well as attack drones.”
This assault came just days after Ukraine conducted what it described as its largest long-range drone strike to date, dubbed the ‘Spider’s Web’ operation by the SBU security service. That operation, reportedly a year-and-a-half in the making, involved 117 drones targeting approximately 40 Russian warplanes located at four military bases deep inside Russia: Belaya (Irkutsk), Olenya (Murmansk), Dyagilevo (Ryazan), and Ivanovo. Ukraine claimed the attack struck “34% of [Russia’s] strategic cruise missile carriers,” estimating damage at around $7 billion and stating at least 13 aircraft, including strategic bombers like Tu-95s and Tu-22M3s, and A-50 early warning planes, were destroyed or damaged.
Russian officials confirmed drone attacks on their airbases but provided a different account of the damage, claiming most attacks were repelled and only “several aircraft caught fire” in Murmansk and Irkutsk, with no casualties. Interestingly, Ukrainian authorities noted that Russia’s retaliatory strike on Friday included 38 cruise missiles, the same type Ukraine had claimed to target days earlier.
International Reaction and Calls for Pressure
The Russian attack also followed a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump days prior, where Putin reportedly warned he would respond “very strongly” to Ukraine’s airbase attacks. Russia had previously stated military options were “on the table.”
Reacting to the strikes, President Zelensky issued a plea for global support, urging, “now is exactly the moment when America, Europe, and everyone around the world can stop this war together by pressuring Russia.” He criticized those not applying pressure, stating it amounts to “complicity and accountability,” in a thinly veiled reference to Trump’s stance.
Trump, in turn, reportedly viewed Russia’s strikes as a predictable and justified response, linking them to recent US decisions under his administration to halt intelligence sharing and military aid to Kyiv, and disable Ukraine’s access to crucial satellite imagery. He reportedly stated he finds it “easier” to deal with Russia than Ukraine and believes Ukraine “don’t have the cards” to negotiate from strength. Despite cutting aid, Trump also vaguely threatened new sanctions on Russia via social media until a ceasefire and “FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED.”
Brazilian President Lula da Silva also reportedly urged Putin to “put an end to the insanity of war.”
The Ongoing Conflict and Future Outlook
Zelensky confirmed that the Russian strikes targeted energy and gas infrastructure across several regions, aiming to disrupt essential services for “normal life.” Reports suggest Ukraine’s position on the battlefield has worsened following changes in US policy, potentially reducing the accuracy of vital Ukrainian drones.
While direct peace talks in Istanbul earlier in the month failed to yield a breakthrough, with Russia rejecting an unconditional ceasefire, the recent escalation underscores the brutal nature of the ongoing conflict. As aerial strikes on civilian targets remain a regular feature of the war, the international community watches for further developments and potential shifts in diplomatic and military strategies.
References
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7zy1jq7no
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ld7ppre9vo
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg7zy1jq7no
- https://kyivindependent.com/fires-reported-following-russias-drone-attack-on-kyiv/
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/07/trump-says-it-is-easier-to-deal-with-russia-and-putin-wants-to-end-the-war
