Russia Attacks Ukraine with New Large-Scale Missile and Drone Strikes
The Russian night attack on Ukraine turned out to be one of the most intense in recent times. After a brief canceled air raid alert in most regions of the country, the Telegram channel monitor published preliminary summaries of a large-scale night attack that lasted nearly 10 hours and involved the use of several types of high-precision and hazardous weapons. According to sources, at the end of June, on the 29th, at 05:16 AM, when Ukraine's aviation and air defense systems were beginning to resume operation, the enemy carried out an impactful operation using various types of armaments to maximize effectiveness. Specifically, the Russians employed X-101 and X-55 cruise missiles launched from Tu-95MS aircraft, as well as Kalibr missiles launched from the Black Sea region. No less dangerous were the hypersonic "Kinzhal" (Kh-47M2), capable of penetrating all air defense systems, along with ballistic missiles 9M723 from the "Iskander-M" complex and 3M14 cruise missiles. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of various types were also involved in the strikes, including "Shahed-Geran," "Herber," and decoy drones used for reconnaissance and electronic warfare. The operation lasted nearly 10 hours — from 19:05 on June 28 until 04:57 in the early hours of June 29. It was systematic, combined, and aimed at targeting critical infrastructure objects. At the same time, damages were recorded across numerous regions: Kremenchuk, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, and some communities in Lviv region suffered strikes. Experts estimate the missile attack lasted 2 hours and 58 minutes and was focused on the maximum deployment of remotely controlled and high-tech means integrated into a coordinated strike. The tense atmosphere was intensified by the use of high-precision weapons, including hypersonic missiles, which significantly complicate interception efforts. According to reports from the regional military administrations (OWA), the missile strikes caused destructions whose precise details are still being determined, but it is already clear that infrastructure and residential sectors were affected. Information about the scale and nature of the damages is expected to be provided in the coming hours. Local residents and military officials comment on the situation with cautious emotional assessments. The popular public group "Nikolaevsky Vanёk" noted that "the shelling was lousy, but there are noticeable losses," emphasizing the severity of the attack's consequences. Additionally, earlier that night, from the Black Sea region, the Russians launched Kalibr cruise missiles, which were heard as explosions in Mykolaiv — likely pre- or additional strikes. It is evident that this large-scale night attack once again demonstrates the increasing intensity of Russian military operations against Ukraine, while Ukrainian defenders continue working to improve their countermeasures and mitigate the aftermath. Ukraine remains in a state of high alert, and analysts predict that such large-scale attacks will become more frequent in the near future, requiring new strategic approaches and resource mobilization to protect the population and critical infrastructure objects.