Ukraine unleashes one of its heaviest drone bombardments, as Russia strikes Ukraine
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- Ukraine launched a massive nighttime drone attack on a dozen Russian regions, Russian-held Crimea, and surrounding seas, with Russia's Defense Ministry reporting 660 drones intercepted — exceeding the previous record of 556 drones on May 17.
- Ukraine's Security Service struck Russian navy ships and air defense radars in Kerch, claiming hits on the reconnaissance/minelaying ships Volga and Vyatka and the cargo-passenger ferry Petropavlovsk, starting a large fire that AP could not independently verify.
- Zelenskyy announced on X a "40-day influence operation" aimed at compelling Russia to end the war, citing stalled U.S. peace efforts and fresh G7 aid promises from Trump and other leaders he met at a recent summit.
- Russia struck back with glide bombs and drones, killing three civilians in the Kharkiv region and Izium and wounding 29 people — including a 9-year-old — across Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy.
- Ukraine's air force intercepted 174 of 189 Russian drones overnight, but four of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles got through and struck various locations.
- Both sides exchanged 160 prisoners of war from each side on Friday, the same day as the bombardment.
- Independent Russian outlet Astra reported a chemical plant and hydroelectric plant in Novomoskovsk caught fire during the attack; AP could not confirm and there was no official Russian comment.
Why it matters: The 660-drone salvo sets a new peak in Ukraine's long-range campaign, which Western officials say has choked Russian fuel supplies and stalled Moscow's battlefield advances — ratcheting pressure on Putin precisely as Zelenskyy bets sustained bombardment can break the diplomatic deadlock that U.S. peace efforts have failed to resolve.
