Russia’s Massive Drone-Missile Blitz Hits Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv

Russia launched a massive overnight drone and missile campaign on June 14–15 against Ukraine, hitting Kyiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv with about 70 missiles (including Zirkon, Iskander-M, and Iskander-K/Kh-101) and roughly 611 drones; Ukrainian forces claim to have shot down most weapons, but casualties reached at least 11 killed and 53 wounded, with 140,000 Kyiv residents left without power. Cultural sites were damaged, prompting UNESCO condemnation, and a Kharkiv double-tap strike killed five first responders. ISW assesses the strikes reflect Moscow’s strategy to break Ukrainian resolve while deploying sophisticated information operations to exaggerate gains in places like Kostyantynivka. Zelensky offered to meet Putin at the G7, but Moscow remained non-committal. Ukraine’s own long-range strikes against Russian energy infrastructure continue to cause shortages inside Russia and in occupied areas, contributing to a drawn-out conflict with no rapid breakthrough in Donetsk’s Fortress Belt.