Russia launches one of war’s largest air attacks days after Ukraine’s bomber raid

Russia launched a major overnight assault on Ukraine early Friday, killing at least four people and injuring over 80 others. The attack followed Kyiv’s daring strike on Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet days earlier.

Ukraine's air defenses scrambled to intercept hundreds of incoming drones and missiles, as explosions echoed across major cities. Residents in Kyiv reported hours of sirens and blasts, with air defenses lighting up the night sky.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia fired more than 400 drones and 40 missiles in one of the war’s largest attacks. Nine regions were hit, spanning from Lviv in the west to Sumy in the northeast.

"This was a massive blow to our cities, our people," Zelensky said. "But we remain united and strong."

The attacks came after Ukraine launched “Spiderweb,” a raid that damaged over a third of Russia’s cruise missile carriers. Many Ukrainians had expected retaliation after the high-profile strike.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump that Moscow would respond to Kyiv’s actions. By Friday, that promise appeared to be fulfilled with widespread airstrikes.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed the attacks were in response to Ukraine’s “terrorist acts.” However, Ukraine condemned the strikes as another attempt to terrorize civilians.

Images from Kyiv on Friday morning showed black smoke rising from damaged apartment buildings. Firefighters worked through the debris as residents sifted through shattered glass and broken masonry.

Olha, a 39-year-old Kyiv resident, told CNN that the attack didn’t shake public morale.
“It didn’t break us at all,” she said. “Maybe this was the retaliation, maybe not. We still believe in our army.”

The Ukrainian air force said it intercepted 406 of the 452 projectiles. This included 32 cruise missiles and four ballistic missiles. Two other ballistic missiles failed to hit their targets.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported four deaths in the capital, conflicting with Zelensky’s statement that four people died in total, including in Lutsk. The cause of the discrepancy remains unclear.

In Chernihiv, near the Belarus border, 14 explosions rocked the city. Local officials said drones, cruise missiles, and Iskander-M ballistic missiles caused the damage. Five others were injured in Lutsk, near Poland's border.

CNN verified footage showing four missiles striking Lutsk, triggering large explosions on impact.

Ukraine’s military said it also hit back overnight, targeting two Russian airfields still housing undamaged aircraft. The operation continued the strategy behind the Spiderweb raid, which Kyiv said aimed to disable bombers that routinely target Ukrainian cities.

After Friday’s attacks, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Moscow of again attacking civilians in response to losing military assets.

Russia, meanwhile, said it intercepted 174 Ukrainian drones and destroyed three Neptune-MD guided missiles over the Black Sea.

Friday's attack followed Ukraine’s strike on the Kerch Bridge on Tuesday. The bridge connects mainland Russia to annexed Crimea. Officials said the operation used 1,100 kilograms of underwater explosives.

Putin spoke again with Trump after the bridge attack. Trump later said Putin made clear that Russia “had to respond,” but offered no sign he asked for restraint.

Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko criticized Trump’s silence.
“When Putin said he would strike back, Trump said nothing,” Merezhko told CNN. “We know what that means—civilians pay the price.”

Although Trump had endorsed recent peace talks in Istanbul, he showed signs of detachment during a Thursday press event.

“Sometimes two kids fight in a park,” Trump said, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz beside him. “You try to pull them apart, but sometimes they need to fight it out.”

As Ukraine’s defenders worked to repair damage and mourn the victims, officials warned that more retaliation may come.

“We know what we are up against,” said Zelensky. “But Ukraine stands firm. We fight for our survival every day.”

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