Russia Launches Large-Scale Attack on Kyiv

On the local time of June 17, 2025, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, was hit by a large-scale attack launched by Russia. The attack was of huge magnitude, causing severe casualties and property losses, which has drawn extensive attention from the international community.

In terms of the scale and means of the attack, Tkachenko, the head of the Kyiv military-civilian administration in Ukraine, said that Russia launched a large-scale attack on Kyiv and surrounding areas in the early morning of that day, hitting residential buildings and causing serious damage. Klymenko, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, pointed out that the railway infrastructure in Kyiv and surrounding areas was damaged during the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed on social media that the Russian air strike involved more than 440 drones and 32 missiles, making it one of the “most terrifying attacks” on Kyiv. In addition to Kyiv, regions such as Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv Oblast were also attacked to varying degrees. Zelensky also mentioned that a residential building in Kyiv was severely damaged in the air strike. As of now, 75 people are known to be injured and 15 have died. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the 16th that over the past day, Russian forces had struck the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, Ukrainian military training centers, air defense radar stations, drone production facilities, ammunition and supplies depots, as well as temporary stations of the Ukrainian military and foreign mercenaries in 156 areas, destroying six US-made guided aerial bombs and shooting down 104 drones. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released a battle report stating that over the past day, the Ukrainian Air Force, missile forces, and artillery attacked 22 areas where Russian personnel, weapons, and military equipment were concentrated. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the Russian military used 138 drones to attack Ukraine, and the Ukrainian military shot down 125 of them.

The large-scale attack has a complex background. Since Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has persisted for a long time. During this period, the two sides have engaged in intense battles in multiple regions, and the situation has remained tense. Russia has long regarded Ukraine as an important part of its sphere of influence. However, Ukraine's moves to draw closer to the West, including its attempts to join NATO, are seen by Russia as a serious threat to its national security. As Western countries continuously increase their military and economic assistance to Ukraine, the external pressure on Russia gradually intensifies, which has also, to some extent, prompted Russia to adopt more aggressive military actions.

The large-scale attack on Kyiv by Russia has had multiple impacts on Ukraine. In terms of people's livelihoods, the lives and safety of a large number of civilians have been threatened. Many people were injured or even lost their lives, and civilian facilities such as residential buildings were severely damaged, leaving a large number of civilians displaced. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko declared June 18 a city-wide day of mourning, and rescue workers painstakingly searched for survivors in the rubble. Economically, as the political, economic, and cultural center of Ukraine, the damage to Kyiv's infrastructure, such as railway infrastructure, has seriously affected the economic operation within Ukraine. It has not only hindered the transportation and circulation of goods but also impacted related industries, further worsening Ukraine's already fragile economy due to the war. Militarily, although the Ukrainian air defense forces claimed to have intercepted some drones and missiles, such a large-scale attack still exerted enormous pressure on Ukraine's air defense system, consuming a vast amount of air defense resources and revealing the loopholes in its air defense network.

Regarding the international impact, this attack has triggered a strong reaction from the international community. Andriy Sybiha, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, directly pointed out that this was a deliberate provocative signal from Russia to the international community. After the incident, President Zelensky held an emergency national security meeting overnight, calling on the West to lift restrictions on the use of weapons by Ukraine and allow it to strike military targets on Russian soil. The 27 EU member states drafted a joint statement overnight, planning to impose the 15th round of sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The United States announced an additional $300 million in air defense system aid to Ukraine. The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting, where 17 countries, including China and India, called for a ceasefire between the two sides. However, representatives of the United States and Russia accused each other of “supporting terrorism,” further dividing the international community's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

There are various reasons for Russia's large-scale attack. Strategically, Kyiv holds great significance. Attacking Kyiv can weaken Ukraine's will to resist and undermine the authority of its government. Once there are loopholes in Kyiv's defense system, it will create more favorable conditions for subsequent Russian military operations. By striking Kyiv, Russia can also deplete Ukraine's air defense resources and disrupt its military deployment. From a geopolitical perspective, Ukraine's geographical location is of great importance to Russia. Russia attempts to prevent Ukraine from further aligning with the West through military actions and safeguard its influence in the region. Considering domestic factors, Russia faces economic pressure from economic sanctions and some public dissatisfaction with the war. Through external military actions, it can, to a certain extent, divert the attention of domestic people, stimulate nationalism, and consolidate the regime. Previously, on May 20, 2025, when Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected the Kursk region on the Russia-Ukraine front line, he was attacked by a large number of drones from the Ukrainian military, with the target being directly the helicopter Putin was on. This incident may also have been one of the triggers for this large-scale attack.

The large-scale attack on Kyiv by Russia occurred against a complex backdrop. Its impact is extensive and far-reaching, and the underlying causes involve multiple aspects such as strategy, geopolitics, and domestic affairs. This conflict has brought great pain to both Russia and Ukraine and has also severely impacted international order and regional stability. The international community should make joint efforts to promote peace negotiations between the two sides to achieve regional peace and stability at an early date.