In the early hours of June 4, Russia conducted a significant military assault on Ukraine, deploying an Iskander-M ballistic missile along with 293 strike drones. Ukrainian air defense forces successfully intercepted the majority of these drones, although some managed to hit their targets.
The attack originated from the Voronezh region of Russia and included various types of drones, such as the Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, and loitering munitions known as Banderolet, as well as imitation drones referred to as Parody. The offensive was launched from multiple locations, including Kursk, Bryansk, Milleryovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia, and Chauda in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Ukrainian defense forces, which comprised aviation units, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups, engaged in countering the aerial assault. By 08:00 local time, preliminary reports indicated that Ukrainian air defense had shot down or suppressed 264 enemy drones, including those of the Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas types, across various regions of the country.
Despite these defensive efforts, there were confirmed impacts from the ballistic missile and 24 strike drones at 11 different locations. Additionally, debris from intercepted drones fell across 12 sites, raising concerns about potential damage and casualties.
The Ukrainian Air Force issued a warning, stating, “The attack is ongoing, and enemy UAVs remain in the airspace. Please adhere to safety protocols!” This highlights the ongoing threat posed by aerial assaults in the region.
On June 4, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine using a combination of drones and a ballistic missile. While Ukrainian defenses managed to intercept a significant number of these threats, some strikes resulted in confirmed impacts across multiple locations.