Russia unleashed its largest drone attack to date against Ukraine overnight, launching 479 drones in a sweeping assault that Ukrainian officials described as the most intense since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Ukraine’s air force, which confirmed the figures on Monday, said the unprecedented overnight barrage affected at least 10 regions across the country. While infrastructure damage was reported in multiple areas, no fatalities or mass casualties were immediately recorded.
“This was the largest attack Rivne has experienced since the beginning of the war,” said Oleksandr Tretyak, mayor of the western Ukrainian city, underscoring the escalating pressure on Ukraine’s air defence systems.
Despite the scale of the offensive, Ukraine’s air force claimed a high interception rate, stating that 460 drones were shot down, along with 19 out of 20 missiles launched during the assault.
The wave of drones is believed to have included Iranian-designed Shahed models, frequently used by Russian forces in targeting Ukrainian urban and energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian officials interpreted the onslaught as a signal that the Kremlin has no intention of pursuing a diplomatic resolution, despite growing international pressure for a ceasefire.
In response to the overnight attack, Ukraine conducted a retaliatory drone strike on an electronics facility in Russia’s Chuvashia region, reportedly used in the production of components for Shahed drones. Russian officials confirmed that the factory’s operations were temporarily halted following the strike.
The massive drone and missile offensive comes amid a sharp uptick in cross-border aerial warfare, with both sides increasingly targeting each other’s military and industrial infrastructure. While Russia continues to escalate its long-range attacks, Ukraine has also intensified its drone campaign deep inside Russian territory.
The latest escalation adds to growing concerns about civilian safety and energy security across Ukraine as the country braces for continued assaults during the summer months.
