Ukraine War Latest: Major Counter-Offensive Breakthrough Puts Russia on the Defensive

Ukraine faces its most intense aerial onslaught of the war as Russian forces launch an unprecedented drone-and-missile barrage across every region of the country. H2: Record-Breaking Night of Attacks Ukrainian officials report that Russia fired 355 Iranian-style Shahed drones and nine cruise missiles overnight, the largest single-night strike since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Explosions and air-raid sirens echoed from Lviv in the west to Kharkiv in the northeast, forcing millions into shelters and temporarily grounding flights at Kyiv’s Boryspil Airport. H2: Ukrainian Air Defenses Stretch Thin Ukraine’s Air Force claims to have intercepted 296 drones and seven missiles, but debris still ignited fires in residential districts of Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro. Officials say at least 12 civilians were killed and dozens injured as fragments struck apartment blocks and energy infrastructure. The scale of the assault highlights Kyiv’s growing reliance on Western-supplied Patriot and NASAMS systems amid dwindling domestic stockpiles. H2: Moscow’s Strategy Shifts Toward Cheaper Drones Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War note that Russia is conserving cruise missiles while ramping up mass-produced drones to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses and exhaust ammunition reserves. The Kremlin’s Defense Ministry claimed it targeted “military-industrial sites” and shot down 96 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, including six near Moscow, though these figures remain unverified. H2: Front-Line Update: Donetsk and Kharkiv Under Pressure On land, Russian troops intensified assaults around Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast and pushed toward Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, leveraging newly mobilized units and thermobaric artillery. Ukraine’s General Staff reports repelling 27 ground attacks but concedes “tactical withdrawals” from several frontline villages. H2: International Response and Incoming Aid President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed calls for additional air-defense interceptors and long-range ATACMS rockets during a late-night address, warning that “every drone we cannot shoot down costs Ukrainian lives.” The U.S. Senate is expected to vote this week on a $61 billion security package that includes Stinger missiles, while Germany prepares a third Patriot battery for delivery. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the strikes as “a blatant attempt to terrorize civilians.” H2: Humanitarian Impact Grows The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that 40 percent of Ukraine’s energy grid has been damaged since October 2024, raising fears of rolling blackouts as summer heat drives demand. Aid agencies are rushing generators and water filtration kits to Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia, where pumping stations were knocked offline overnight. H2: What Happens Next Military experts predict Russia will maintain high-tempo drone attacks to exploit gaps in Ukraine’s air shield until Western ammunition resupply arrives. Meanwhile, Kyiv is expected to step up cross-border drone strikes against oil depots in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions to disrupt logistics and signal deterrence. H2: Key SEO Keywords Ukraine war, Russian drone attack, Kyiv missile strike, air defense systems, Zelenskyy statement, NATO aid, Donetsk frontline, Kharkiv offensive, energy infrastructure damage, humanitarian crisis.