Russia carried out one of the largest air strikes against Ukraine

On the night of May 24, a large-scale and highly coordinated air attack was carried out by Russia across Ukrainian territory. According to the official statement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 14 ballistic missiles of the "Iskander-M/KN-23" type and approximately 250 attack and imitation "Shaheed" drones were sent to various regions of the country.

The defense system destroyed 6 missiles and 128 drones, while 117 drones lost their way or fell by themselves under the influence of electronic warfare equipment. This attack was aimed at strategically important regions such as Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia.

Tragic consequences were recorded in Kyiv

The administration of Ukraine's capital assessed this as one of the "largest and most complex" air attacks carried out against Kyiv since the beginning of the war. As a result of the strikes, at least 4 people died in the capital, and 16 citizens were injured. Missile and drone debris damaged residential buildings, specifically dormitories, shopping centers, and cars in several districts of the city.

As a result of the incidents, hundreds of people sought refuge in metro stations. Especially the fact that this incident happened on Sunday, designated for celebrating Kyiv City Day, negatively affected the general mood of the population.

The number of victims across Ukraine continues to grow

In Khmelnytskyi region, 4 people died and 5 people were injured. It was reported that 6 private houses were completely destroyed, and another 20 houses were damaged to varying degrees. In the Zhytomyr region, three children aged 8, 12, and 17 died, and another 10 people sustained bodily injuries.

In the city of Mykolaiv, as a result of a drone strike, a five-story building was destroyed, and one elderly person died. Victims and injured people were also recorded in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

What was Russia's attack a response to?

Analysts emphasize that these attacks came after drone strikes organized by Ukraine on Russian territory and following threats from Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide an "appropriate response to mass terrorist acts." According to the Russian MFA, between May 20–23, 788 drone attacks from the Ukrainian side towards Russia were recorded.

Additionally, according to the publication "Agentstvo," following the failure of the rapid peace negotiations proposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, Russia launched the largest air strike since the beginning of the war on May 18. At that time, 273 drones were launched.

Drone attacks against Russian territory

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, hundreds of drones were launched by Ukraine towards Russia on the night of May 24, of which 110 were intercepted between 00:00 and 07:00 Moscow time. Of these, 13 were shot down in the Moscow region.

According to media and Telegram channels, drone attacks targeted the chemical plant "Energia" in Lipetsk and the fertilizer plant "Azot" in Tula. The governor of the Tula region confirmed that a drone strike occurred on an object in the city of Novomoskovsk, resulting in damage to an acid tank and a gas pipeline. Three people were reported injured.

In conclusion, the military confrontation between Ukraine and Russia is escalating to an even higher level. As can be seen from the attacks, both sides are trying to significantly affect each other not only on the front line but also deep within the territories. This raises concerns as it seriously endangers the lives of civilians. It can be hoped that the international community will soon respond to this complicated situation.