Russia carried out the most massive air attack against Ukraine since the beginning of the war with cruise missiles and drones. Previously, American sources reported that Moscow was preparing a response to the Ukrainian secret operation "Spider Web".
Ukraine reported that Russia had launched the most massive drone attack since the beginning of the war. The country's territory was attacked with 479 drones and 20 cruise missiles, including four Kh-47 M2 "Kinzhal", ten Kh-101 cruise missiles, three Kh-22, two Kh-31P anti-radar missiles and one Kh-35 cruise missile. Of the 499 drones and missiles launched by Russia, 479 targets were neutralized, according to the Ukrainian military. Strikes were recorded in ten locations, the information added.
The previous most massive Russian air attack was carried out on the night of June 1, when 472 drones were launched against Ukraine, the AFP agency recalls.
Neighboring Poland confirmed reports of a massive Russian air attack in the western Ukrainian region of Rivne. According to the General Staff in Warsaw, the Polish Air Force and NATO allies have scrambled fighter jets in response to the attack, the report said.
The United States (US) had previously warned that Moscow was preparing a powerful multi-pronged strike following the Ukrainians' secret operation "Cobweb" on Russian territory, which destroyed part of the Russian strategic bomber fleet carrying cruise missiles. One of the sources had suggested that such a strike would follow "within a few days" and would be "asymmetrical" - i.e., it would not resemble the Ukrainian operation. Another source suggested that the Russian response would likely be a combined strike with missiles and drones, which has now been confirmed.
There were also suggestions that Russia's retaliatory measures would also include strikes on important Ukrainian targets, such as government buildings - in an attempt to send a clear message to Kiev.
Expert: Moscow may use intermediate-range ballistic missiles
Michael Kofman, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, pointed to the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) or other buildings of regional intelligence agencies as possible targets. Kofman also does not rule out Russia striking production facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
However, the expert suggests that Russia's capabilities may be limited, since it has already deployed a significant part of its military power in the course of the war against Ukraine: "Overall, Russia's ability to significantly expand its strikes compared to what it is already doing - and has been trying to do over the past month - is very limited," says the representative of "Carnegie".
Up to 1/3 of Russia's strategic aviation is out of order
According to US intelligence, Ukrainian air strikes on Russian military airfields on June 1 disabled 20 aircraft, Reuters reported, citing US officials. Earlier, a NATO source told DW that Ukraine managed to disable more than 40 aircraft - about 30% of Russia's strategic aviation. Among the damaged and destroyed aircraft were 15 Tu-95 strategic bombers, 12 Tu-22M3s, and at least one A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft.