MOSCOW, June 2 - The Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that a large overnight strike on targets in Ukraine was carried out in response to what it described as "terrorist acts" by the Kyiv government.
In an official statement, the ministry said, "Overnight, in response to terrorist acts of the Kyiv regime, the armed forces of the Russian Federation carried out a massive strike using high-precision long-range air-, land-, and sea-based weapons." It added that the operation used hypersonic missiles and drones and struck sites across seven Ukrainian regions, naming Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv among them.
The Russian statement said the strikes focused on objects it characterised as useful to the Ukrainian armed forces, including fuel and transport facilities and military airfields.
Ukrainian authorities reported that drones and missiles hit the Ukrainian capital and other cities early on Tuesday, with at least 11 people killed and more than 100 wounded. Officials said the attacks occurred following several days of warnings from Moscow that it planned a major assault.
Last week the Kremlin warned it would begin to carry out "systematic strikes" on targets in Kyiv, framing the move as retaliation for a deadly drone attack on a student dormitory in Russian-held Luhansk that killed 21 people. Russian authorities described that dormitory attack as devastating.
Ukraine, however, said it had targeted a drone command centre in the area and denied that students were the target.
President Vladimir Putin said on Monday evening that Kyiv had "opened a new page in a series of crimes" with the dormitory strike and with a later strike on an apartment building in a Russian-held part of Ukraine's Kherson region. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians.
Summary of events
- Russian Defence Ministry: overnight massive strike described as response to "terrorist acts."
- Russia reports use of hypersonic missiles and drones against seven regions, targeting fuel, transport facilities and military airfields.
- Ukraine reports strikes on Kyiv and other cities, with at least 11 dead and more than 100 wounded.
Context included in official statements
The Kremlin had issued warnings in the days preceding the assault that it intended to carry out "systematic strikes" on Kyiv in retaliation for what it said was a drone attack on a student dormitory in Russian-held Luhansk that resulted in 21 deaths. Ukrainian authorities maintain they targeted a drone command centre, not students.
Reporting is based on official statements issued by the Russian Defence Ministry and Ukrainian authorities and public remarks attributed to the Russian presidency.