Russia launches massive air offensive against Ukraine, widening European security tension

On June 3, Russian forces carried out an intense air campaign against several Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv. Dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones struck residential areas and infrastructure, killing multiple civilians and injuring more than one hundred people. Ukrainian air‑defence systems intercepted a large portion of the attacks, but many projectiles still hit buildings and caused severe damage.

Russia also reported intercepting hundreds of Ukrainian drones over its own territory, with some strikes reaching the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. The Kremlin warned that continued Western military aid to Kyiv could threaten European security, prompting condemnations and new assistance pledges from European governments.

Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia will not pursue a cease‑fire, insisting on continued advances in the Donbas region and referencing a proposed peace framework from the 2023 Anchorage summit that was rejected by Kyiv and the EU. Casualty estimates for Russian forces range from 352,000 to 500,000 deaths, underscoring the war’s status as the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.