Ukraine Launches Biggest Drone Strike of the War — 660 Drones, 12 Regions
Zelenskyy announced it on Thursday evening.
By Friday morning, 660 Ukrainian drones were in the air over 12 Russian regions, the Black Sea, the Azov Sea and Russian-occupied Crimea — the largest single drone attack Ukraine has launched since Russia's full-scale invasion began four years ago.
What Happened Overnight and Why the Timing Matters
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed Friday that air defences had intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones overnight — across 12 Russian regions, the Crimean peninsula, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea.
The previous largest attack in the past year was 556 drones on May 17, according to AP reporting carried by CBC News.
The timing is not incidental.
Hours before the barrage began, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X that he had approved "a 40-day influence operation" by Ukraine's Security Service against Russia, aimed at compelling Moscow to end the war.
The announcement followed a report from Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara on Ukraine's long-range and medium-range strike plans, and the latest results of the SBU's Alpha Special Operations Centre.
The drone attack overnight was the operational opening of that declared escalation.
📰 Related: Trump Signs US-Iran Deal at Versailles, Ending 110-Day War
What Was Struck and What Russia Has Confirmed
Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the scale of the interception but provided almost no detail on what was actually hit — standard practice for Moscow, which does not typically disclose damage from Ukrainian drone attacks.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that 47 drones were downed as they approached the Russian capital. He reported no casualties or damage to Moscow itself.
In the Tula region south of Moscow, Governor Dmitry Milyaev confirmed that a private house was damaged, a woman was wounded, a power line struck, and an unspecified industrial facility in the city of Novomoskovsk was hit.
Russian independent outlet Astra reported that the Azot chemical plant and a hydroelectric plant in Novomoskovsk were attacked and caught fire — but AP was unable to independently verify those reports, and no official confirmation has been issued.
Ukraine's Security Service separately confirmed it used drones to strike Russian navy ships in Kerch, Crimea — targeting the reconnaissance and mine-laying vessels Volga and Vyatka, and the cargo-passenger ferry Petropavlovsk, according to NBC News.
The SBU said a large fire broke out following the strikes on the Kerch vessels. The Kerch ferry crossing has been a key logistical route for Russian military personnel and supplies into southern Ukraine.
📰 Related: Senate Passes Iran War Powers Resolution, Rebuking Trump
The Campaign This Attack Is Part Of
The overnight barrage is not an isolated strike — it is the most intense moment so far in a sustained campaign Ukraine has been running since mid-June.
Russian authorities reported intercepting 60 drones near Moscow on June 16, 76 on June 19, and 84 on June 22. The largest single previous attack on Moscow came on June 18, when Mayor Sobyanin said 194 drones targeted the capital — causing 527 flights to be delayed or cancelled across Moscow's aviation network.
The broader campaign has targeted oil production and energy facilities inside Russia for months, according to Kyiv Post. Western officials and analysts say the strikes have choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling battlefield momentum.
On the same night Ukraine was launching 660 drones, Russia struck Ukraine in return. Russian forces hit Kharkiv and 16 other settlements in the northeast, killing two people and injuring seven others. Ukrainian air defences stopped 174 of 189 Russian drones overnight, but four of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles got through air defences, striking energy facilities, homes and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, Odesa and Sumy.
📰 Related: Strait of Hormuz Oil Leaks — Why Global Markets Are Suddenly on Edge
What Zelenskyy Is Signalling
Zelenskyy's public announcement of a 40-day declared operation is itself unusual.
Most military campaigns of this kind are not announced in advance. The public declaration appears to serve a dual purpose: communicating to a domestic and international audience that Ukraine is escalating, and signalling to Russia that this is a structured pressure campaign rather than opportunistic strikes.
Zelenskyy said he received additional pledges of foreign military support at the recent G7 summit, including from US President Trump.
A NATO summit next month has been identified as a potential further milestone for shoring up military aid.
Whether Russia responds with increased attacks on Ukrainian cities — or moves toward negotiations — is the question the 40-day window is designed to force.
Key Takeaways
- Ukraine launched 660 drones overnight into June 26, striking 12 Russian regions, the Crimean peninsula, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea — the largest single drone attack of the war.
- The attack followed Zelenskyy's announcement of a 40-day SBU influence operation aimed at "compelling Russia to end the war."
- Russia confirmed 47 drones were intercepted near Moscow. The Azot chemical plant in Novomoskovsk was reportedly struck and caught fire — Russia has not officially confirmed this.
- Ukraine's SBU claimed strikes on Russian navy ships in Kerch, Crimea — including two reconnaissance vessels and a ferry used for military logistics.
- Russia struck back simultaneously — killing two in Kharkiv, and successfully launching four of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles into Ukrainian territory.
- A NATO summit next month is the next key diplomatic moment for Ukraine's military support.
Sources
Also Read
You might also like
World News Correspondent
Rachel Hayes reports on international affairs, geopolitics, and breaking world news. Based in London, she covers stories shaping the UK and global political landscape.
