Russia reports one of the biggest Ukrainian drone attacks on its soil and annexed Crimea
2026-06-26T07:09:35Z
Russian air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones in a major nighttime attack on 12 Russian regions as well as the Russia-held Crimean peninsula, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday.
It appeared to be one of the biggest drone attacks on Russian regions and the illegally annexed Crimea since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.
In an effort to turn the tables on Russia’s grinding war of attrition, Ukrainian long-range drones have for months been battering targets, including oil production and energy facilities, behind the front line and deep inside Russia. The campaign has choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling Russia’s efforts on the battlefield, Western officials and analysts say, and heaped pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The major attack came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that he had ordered “a 40-day influence operation,” believed to mean an escalation of attacks, aimed at “compelling (Russia) to end the war” after U.S. peace efforts over the past year yielded no breakthrough.
A Russian chemical plant is reportedly hit
In the Tula region just south of Moscow, a private house was damaged by the attack and a woman was wounded, Tula Gov. Dmitry Milyaev said in an online statement as reports of damage caused by the attack began to emerge.
He also said a power line was damaged and an unspecified industrial facility in the city of Novomoskovsk.
Russian independent online outlet Astra reported that a chemical plant and a hydroelectric plant in Novomoskovsk were attacked and caught fire. The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the report, and there was no official confirmation.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also reported that 47 Ukrainian drones were downed as they flew toward the Russian capital. He did not report any casualties or damage.
Ukraine says 2 civilians were killed in Russian attacks
Two people were killed and seven others injured in Russian attacks on the northeastern Kharkiv region over the previous 24 hours, regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Friday.
Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv and 16 other settlements across the region using guided aerial bombs and drones of various types, Syniehubov said.
Ukraine’s Defense Forces overnight stopped 174 of 189 Russian drones, the Ukrainian air force said. However, four of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles that were fired got through air defenses and struck various locations, it said.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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- • Ukraine launched a massive strike involving 660 drones targeting 12 Russian regions and Crimea.
- • The operation aims to disrupt Russian energy infrastructure and military logistics to force a war's end.
- • Russia responded with missile and bomb strikes in Kharkiv, resulting in civilian casualties.
This escalation follows President Zelenskyy's announcement of a 40-day influence operation intended to increase pressure on the Kremlin. The conflict has evolved into a grinding war of attrition involving long-range strikes deep within sovereign territories.
Christian Perspective
The indiscriminate use of drone swarms and ballistic missiles demonstrates a disregard for the sanctity of human life. Both sides are engaging in patterns of violence that result in the suffering of innocent civilians and the destruction of essential infrastructure. True peace cannot be coerced through escalating technological warfare and the targeting of non-combatants.
Implications
Continued involvement in foreign conflicts drains resources that should be used to protect the American family and domestic borders. The focus on overseas proxy wars distracts from the urgent need to secure our own nation against demographic and cultural decay. American taxpayers should not be forced to fund the escalation of global instability.
Broader Trends
This conflict highlights the shift toward high-tech, decentralized warfare that empowers smaller actors to strike deep into larger nations. It also reflects the failure of liberal internationalism to provide lasting stability or prevent massive loss of life. Globalist interests continue to prioritize geopolitical maneuvering over the actual well-being of sovereign peoples.
Takeaway
America First principles demand that we cease prioritizing foreign entanglements over our own national survival. We must focus on strengthening the traditional family and protecting our borders rather than fueling endless wars abroad. Prioritize the preservation of our own heritage and the safety of our citizens above all else.
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