Latest attacks on Ukraine: 'These strikes are not in response, but to destroy,' says Zelenskyy

By&nbspEuronews

Published on 08/06/2025 - 15:13 GMT+2

Russian troops attacked Ukraine pinch almost 50 Shahed-type drones, arsenic good arsenic UAVs, connected Sunday night.

In addition, an Onyx anti-ship rocket and 2 Kh-59/69 guided aerial missiles were launched astatine Ukrainian territory.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that they managed to neutralise 40 drones. The main areas of nan strikes were nan Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

The time before, a number of Ukrainian cities became nan target of Russian attacks. Kharkiv suffered nan most, having been deed by respective powerful strikes utilizing kamikaze drones, guided aerial bombs and missiles. According to nan National Police, 6 group were killed and dozens were injured successful nan Kharkiv region successful 24 hours.

"There is simply a cardinal parkland nearby, wherever group were relaxing, and nan Children's Railway, wherever labor were," said Oleg Sinegubov, caput of nan location administration, astatine nan tract of 1 of nan strikes. "One female died connected nan spot. At slightest 3 group were injured and are successful captious condition."

Zelensky called for "tough coercion of Russia to peace"

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned caller Russian strikes, calling connected world partners to "toughly coerce Russia to peace."

"Air bombs connected civilians successful nan metropolis - location is moreover a children's railway nearby," Zelensky wrote connected societal media. "This makes nary subject sense. Pure terrorism. And this has been going connected for much than 3 years of a full-scale war. This cannot beryllium ignored. We cannot move a unsighted oculus to this. And this is not immoderate benignant of game. Every time we suffer our group only because Russia feels impunity. Russia needs reliable coercion to peace."

In his evening address, nan Ukrainian president said that these Russian strikes are not "in response" but to destroy.

This whitethorn not beryllium nan 'full response'

Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities has accrued aft Kyiv "humiliated" nan Kremlin pinch a astonishment drone onslaught connected subject airfields heavy successful Russia. The escalation of hostilities has weakened hopes for a ceasefire successful nan warfare that has been going connected for much than 3 years.

At nan aforesaid time, nan United States, according to Reuters, believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat of retaliation against Ukraine for Operation Spider Web has not yet been afloat implemented and will astir apt beryllium a important multilateral strike. The agency cites nan opinions of unnamed American officials.

One of them notes that "the timing of a afloat Russian consequence is unclear and that it is expected wrong days." Another believes that nan consequence "will apt see various types of aerial capabilities, including missiles and drones."

Reuters besides cites 2 Western negotiated sources arsenic suggesting. One believes "that while Russia's consequence whitethorn person already begun, it is apt to escalate pinch strikes connected symbolic Ukrainian targets specified arsenic authorities buildings successful an effort to nonstop a clear connection to Kyiv."

Another elder Western diplomat predicts "a further devastating onslaught by Moscow" that "will beryllium huge, sadistic and merciless."

The agency besides quotes Michael Kofman, a Russia master astatine nan Carnegie Endowment, arsenic saying that "Moscow could effort to punish nan SBU" for its domiciled successful Operation Spider's Web and usage medium-range ballistic missiles to onslaught aliases target Ukrainian defence manufacturing centres.

However, nan master believes that "Russia's expertise to importantly fortify its retaliatory onslaught whitethorn beryllium limited."