Massive Russian Attack on Ukraine: Explosions in Kyiv, Poltava, and Sumy; Air Raids in Eight Regions

Morning Attack: Explosions in Several Cities

On Thursday morning, June 18, Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukrainian territory. As a result of unmanned aerial vehicle strikes, explosions were recorded in at least three cities. Information about the incident is confirmed by the Ukrainian Air Force and reports from correspondents on the ground.

At 04:03, the Kyiv City Military Administration (KCMA) declared an air raid in the capital. In an official statement, citizens were advised to immediately head to shelters and remain there until the signal was lifted. Just a few minutes later, the military confirmed that drones moving towards Kyiv were detected in the Boryspil area. By 04:30, air defense systems were heard operating in the city.

Strikes on Other Regions

The attack was not limited to the capital region. Around the same time, media outlets reported explosions in Poltava and Sumy. The Ukrainian Air Force clarified that a group of enemy drones was heading towards Poltava, while launches of aviation-guided bombs (KAB) were detected in the Sumy region.

As of 04:38, the air raid map covered a significant portion of the country. The alarm signal was active in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk regions.

Chronicle of Night Strikes

The attack on June 18 was a continuation of a series of aggressive actions. Even on the night of this day, the enemy launched ballistic missiles at Kyiv and Poltava. Loud explosions were heard in both cities; however, at the time of publication, no official data on the consequences of the strikes had been received.

This is not the first combined strike in recent days. On the night of June 15, Russia launched a massive strike, with Kyiv also being the main target. As a result of the shelling, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra was damaged: a fire broke out in the Dormition Cathedral, caused by a drone attack. In addition, buildings of the Dovzhenko Film Studio were damaged by missile strikes. As a result of the fire, the largest and oldest collection of costumes in Ukraine was destroyed.