Russia-Ukraine War: Tensions flared again as Russia launched a large-scale missile attack on Ukraine using its TU-95MS bombers on Friday. Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador in the UK issued warnings, sparking concerns of a possible third world war. In response, Ukraine carried out fresh strikes, causing new destruction.

Russia-Ukraine War: Massive Missile and Drone Strike Hits Kyiv and Western Ukraine; Civilian Casualties Reported

Kyiv: In the early hours of Friday, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine, targeting Kyiv, key urban centers, and several western regions of the country. Explosions were reported in Kyiv, Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Lviv, and Lutsk. In Kyiv, drone strikes caused fires in multiple residential buildings and damaged civilian infrastructure, injuring at least 16 people. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the casualties and widespread destruction.

Russia used its strategic TU-95MS bombers to fire cruise missiles, prompting air raid sirens to be activated across all regions of Ukraine.

Widespread Damage in Kyiv

In the Solomyanskyi district of Kyiv, a drone strike set the 11th floor of a 16-storey building on fire, with three people rescued from the blaze. Fires also broke out in a residential building in the Holosiivskyi district due to falling debris. Meanwhile, a powerful explosion was reported in a 17-storey building in Darnytskyi, and a gas station was heavily damaged in Dniprovskyi. The city’s metro services were disrupted due to damage to train tracks and power lines.

Western Cities Hit Unusually Hard

Ternopil, a city in western Ukraine that rarely sees Russian attacks, suffered damage to industrial facilities and essential infrastructure, causing power outages in parts of the city. In Lutsk, several casualties were reported as an apartment rooftop, vehicles, and business properties were hit. In the northern city of Pryluky, a drone strike collapsed a residential building, killing five people—including a one-year-old child, his mother, and grandmother.

Geopolitical Tensions Rise: Trump’s Statement and Russian Warning

The timing of the Russian assault has raised eyebrows, as it came just one day after a phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump on June 4. Trump later revealed that Putin had vowed to take strong retaliatory action in response to Ukraine’s recent “Operation Spider Web.” While Trump privately called Ukraine’s actions “strong,” he publicly suggested that it may be better to “let Russia and Ukraine fight a little longer” rather than rushing into peace talks.

Meanwhile, Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, pointed fingers at Britain, partially blaming it for Ukraine’s Operation Spider. He warned that these types of attacks could trigger a 3rd world war. Kelin alleged that operations of such precision require advanced technology and geospatial data only available to the U.S. and the UK. He questioned the involvement of British intelligence, even as Trump denied any direct U.S. role in the attacks.

Ukraine Strikes Back: Iskander Missile Unit Hit

On June 5, Ukrainian forces struck a Russian missile base near Klintsy in Bryansk Oblast. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the strike destroyed one Iskander missile launcher and heavily damaged two others. The target was reportedly a part of Russia’s 26th Missile Brigade and was preparing for an assault on Ukraine at the time of the attack. Ukraine confirmed there were no civilian casualties in this counterstrike and stated that they are still assessing the full extent of Russian losses.

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