Ukraine Executes Major Drone Assault on Russia and Crimea
WHO:
CBS News - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
CBS News - Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhailo Fedorov
CBS News - Russian President Vladimir Putin
CBS News - Russian Defense Ministry
CBS News - Russian authorities in Crimea
WHAT:
[10:58 AM EDT] - CBS News - Ukrainian authorities reported that air defense units had repelled a Russian missile attack, with residents in Kyiv witnessing interceptions that caused debris to fall to the ground.
[10:58 AM EDT] - CBS News - Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhailo Fedorov stated the goal is to turn Crimea "into an island," isolating the territory from Russia.
[10:58 AM EDT] - CBS News - Russian authorities in Crimea announced a state of emergency and halted all fuel sales to civilians in response to recent Ukrainian attacks.
CBS News - Ukraine launched one of its heaviest drone assaults on Russia, targeting 12 regions and Crimea.
CBS News - Ukraine fired more drones in this attack than in any previous assault in the last year.
CBS News - The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 660 drones during the attack.
CBS News - The previous largest Ukrainian attack this year involved 556 drones on May 17.
CBS News - Ukrainian drones struck two military vessels and several air defense systems in Crimea.
CBS News - Reports indicated a strike on the Azot chemical plant in Russia's Tula region, marking the second targeting of the facility in two weeks.
CBS News - Ukraine's defense ministry reported the destruction of 1,447 Russian air defense systems since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
CBS News - Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russia's energy and logistics infrastructure this spring and summer.
WHERE:
CBS News - The drone attack targeted 12 regions in Russia and the Crimean Peninsula.
CBS News - The Azot chemical plant is located in Tula, Russia.
CBS News - Interceptions were reported above the capital Kyiv.
WHEN:
CBS News - The previous largest attack occurred on May 17.
CBS News - In 2024, Ukraine launched 110 long-range drones into Russia.
CBS News - This year, the number of drones launched has already surpassed 3,000.
WHY:
[10:58 AM EDT] - CBS News - Zelenskyy indicated plans to intensify strikes against Russia, announcing a "40-day influence operation" aimed at compelling Russia to end the war.
CBS News - Analysts suggest that strikes on energy and industrial infrastructure delay repairs and keep critical facilities closed longer.
CBS News - Zelenskyy announced a "40-day influence operation" aimed at compelling Russia to end the war.
HOW:
CBS News - Ukraine's drone production has increased, contributing to the momentum in their attacks.
CBS News - Thinning Russian air defense stockpiles have aided Ukraine's offensive capabilities.
(UPDATED June 26, 2026 23:19 UTC)
Ukrainian authorities reported that air defense units successfully repelled a Russian missile attack, with residents in Kyiv witnessing interceptions that caused debris to fall to the ground. In a bold move, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhailo Fedorov stated the goal is to turn Crimea "into an island," effectively isolating the territory from Russia, while Russian authorities in Crimea declared a state of emergency and halted all fuel sales to civilians in response to recent Ukrainian attacks. President Zelenskyy has indicated plans to intensify strikes against Russia, announcing a "40-day influence operation" aimed at compelling Russia to end the war.
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(UPDATED June 26, 2026 19:37 UTC)
In a significant escalation, Ukraine has launched one of its heaviest drone assaults on Russia, targeting twelve regions and Crimea, with reports indicating that more drones were fired in this attack than in any previous assault over the last year. The Russian Defense Ministry reported intercepting 660 drones during the attack, while Ukrainian drones successfully struck two military vessels and several air defense systems in Crimea, as well as the Azot chemical plant in Tula, marking its second targeting in just two weeks. Ukraine's defense ministry claims to have destroyed 1,447 Russian air defense systems since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, as the country intensifies its strikes on Russia's energy and logistics infrastructure this spring and summer.