In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russian forces have launched one of their most substantial and devastating attacks on Ukraine, targeting Kyiv and the southern port city of Odesa in a barrage that resulted in multiple casualties and widespread destruction.

Kyiv, the heart of Ukraine’s government and resilience, bore the brunt of the assault early Tuesday morning. According to Ukrainian officials, the city was struck by a barrage of 315 drones overnight, marking one of the largest and most intense strikes on the capital to date. The attacks damaged infrastructure across seven of Kyiv’s ten districts, plunging neighborhoods into darkness and chaos. Official reports confirmed four individuals were injured amid the destruction, with debris scattering across residential areas. The blast waves ignited fires in several buildings, and the night sky was illuminated by fiery orange flashes from the explosions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the assault, describing it as a deliberate and massive strike that violated any semblance of ceasefire. “This is one of the largest strikes on Kyiv,” Zelensky stated via social media, adding that the city’s emergency services responded swiftly to the chaos. Witnesses recounted hearing deafening explosions echo across the city and seeing towering clouds of smoke rising from targeted buildings. 

The missile assault did not spare other regions. In the eastern and northern parts of the country, including Dnipro and Chernihiv, the attacks continued, according to Zelensky. Notably, he disclosed that two of the missiles fired during the overnight barrage were “ballistics of North Korean production,” raising concerns about the proliferation of advanced weaponry being used in the conflict.

Meanwhile, in the southern port city of Odesa, the strike was particularly brutal. Drone attacks targeted residential buildings and crucial medical facilities, including a maternity ward, killing two civilians and injuring 13 others. Odesa Governor Kiper confirmed that medical staff and patients managed to evacuate the medical stations before the full impact, though ambulances and medical infrastructure sustained damage. The attack profoundly shocked the local community, especially given the targeting of vulnerable facilities like hospitals.

In a disturbing twist, Ukraine responded with its own drone operations into Russian territory overnight, causing several airport closures and heightened tensions. Ukraine’s military campaign included a secretive operation dubbed "Operation Spider’s Web," which successfully struck air bases deep inside Russian borders on June 1. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed a “very strong” retaliation in response to such incursions, as detailed by US President Donald Trump, who revealed that Moscow’s leadership was considering severe retaliatory measures.

Throughout the night, air raid alerts sounded across large swathes of Ukraine, including Kyiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv regions. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko urgently urged residents to take shelter, warning that the city was enduring a “massive attack” that was ongoing. Kyiv’s military administration chief, Timur Tkachenko, reported that the strikes on various districts happened simultaneously, with debris from intercepted targets falling across residential and commercial areas. Fires erupted in several locations, and emergency services worked tirelessly to contain the chaos.

The ongoing violence comes amid a complex backdrop of negotiations and prisoner exchanges. Ukraine announced a multistage swap involving sick and seriously injured prisoners, those under 25, and the repatriation of the bodies of approximately 12,000 fallen soldiers. President Zelensky highlighted the delicacy of the process, calling it “complicated” and involving “many sensitive details,” as both sides remain locked in an intricate dance of diplomacy and warfare.

This escalation follows recent significant Russian strikes across Ukraine and Moscow’s recent claims of retaliatory actions for Ukraine’s alleged attacks inside Russian territory. The conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, shows no signs of abating, with each side intensifying efforts to assert dominance amid a landscape fraught with volatility and uncertainty.