Air defense neutralized 40 missiles and 602 drones launched by Russia in a massive overnight attack on Ukraine
During the night of June 2 (starting from 6:00 p.m. on June 1), Russian forces carried out a large-scale combined strike against Ukraine using attack drones as well as air-, sea-, and ground-launched missiles of various types.
The primary target was Kyiv, while attacks also struck Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava region, and other parts of the country.
According to Ukraine's Air Force, a total of 729 aerial threats were detected, including 73 missiles and 656 drones of various types:
- 8 3M22 Zircon anti-ship missiles (launched from occupied Crimea and Russia's Kursk region);
- 33 Iskander-M ballistic missiles (launched from Russia's Bryansk, Kursk, and Rostov regions, as well as occupied Crimea);
- 27 Kh-101 cruise missiles (launched from Russia's Vologda region);
- 5 Kalibr cruise missiles (launched from the Caspian Sea);
- 656 attack drones and loitering munitions, including Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, Banderol, and Parodiya decoy drones, launched from multiple locations in Russia and occupied Crimea.
The attack was countered by Ukrainian fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missile units, electronic warfare systems, drone defense units, and mobile fire groups.
According to preliminary data as of 8:30 a.m., Ukrainian air defenses destroyed or suppressed 642 targets, including 40 missiles and 602 drones:
- 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles;
- 26 Kh-101 cruise missiles;
- 3 Kalibr cruise missiles;
- 602 drones of various types.
Preliminary reports indicate that 30 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 33 attack drones reached their targets across 38 locations, while debris from intercepted drones fell at 15 additional locations.
UPDATE
During May 2026, the air defense units of Ukraine's Defense Forces destroyed more than 57,000 aerial targets:
- 2 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles;
- 50 Kh-101 cruise missiles;
- 10 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles;
- 11 Kalibr cruise missiles;
- 14 Kh-59/69 guided air-to-surface missiles;
- 24 Iskander-K cruise missiles;
- 5,053 Shahed attack drones;
- 1,316 reconnaissance drones;
- 50,894 drones of other types.
During the same period, the Ukrainian Air Force carried out 1,089 combat sorties, including:
- more than 700 sorties for fighter air cover and air defense missions;
- around 230 sorties for strike operations and close air support of ground forces.
