KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials reported that a massive Russian aerial assault targeting civilian areas resulted in four deaths and at least 27 injuries on Tuesday, as Moscow’s forces intensified their push against Ukrainian defensive positions in what appears to be the beginning of a long-expected spring ground campaign.
Ukraine’s air force confirmed that Russia deployed nearly 400 long-range drones against the country during overnight hours, marking the most extensive such attack in recent weeks. The bombardment extended into Tuesday’s daylight hours with additional drone strikes hitting the capital city of Kyiv.
The nighttime assault also included 23 cruise missiles and seven ballistic missiles launched by Russian forces, striking no fewer than 10 locations throughout Ukraine, air force officials reported.
Ukrainian citizens have faced continuous bombardments since Russia began its full-scale invasion of the neighboring country more than four years ago. Despite U.S.-mediated discussions between Moscow and Kyiv over the previous year, no relief has emerged, with Russia turning down Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal, while recent Middle East conflicts have shifted global focus away from Ukraine’s situation.
Along the approximately 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) battle line that winds through eastern and southern Ukraine, understaffed defenders have been preparing for a renewed Russian offensive as weather conditions improve.
Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, who leads Ukraine’s armed forces, reported that Russian military units have recently launched coordinated breakthrough attempts across multiple strategic locations.
“Fierce fighting unfolded along the entire line of contact,” Syrskyi stated Monday via the Telegram messaging platform, noting that Russia conducted 619 attacks over a four-day period.
“The occupiers are attempting to bring up new units and are preparing to continue attacks,” Syrskyi explained, while confirming that Ukraine had positioned additional forces to counter these assaults.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War indicated that Syrskyi’s assessment supports their conclusion that Russia’s spring-summer offensive has commenced.
According to the ISW’s Monday analysis, Russia has increased its strike operations since March 17 and relocated heavy military equipment and additional personnel to front-line positions.
Russia has historically intensified its grinding attrition campaign each year as weather conditions become more favorable. Despite these efforts, Russian forces have failed to capture major cities and have achieved only minor territorial advances in rural regions. Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized in 2014.
Ukraine has developed sophisticated drone capabilities to compensate for its limited infantry resources.
As international attention focuses on Middle East tensions, Kyiv is proposing to share Ukraine’s combat-proven drone defense systems with U.S. and Gulf allies, seeking to exchange this expertise for critically needed Patriot air defense missiles to counter Russian bombardments.
Ukraine has also deployed its domestically manufactured long-range drones against Russian territories that support Moscow’s military operations. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that its air defenses successfully intercepted 55 Ukrainian drones overnight across Russian regions, annexed Crimea, and the Black Sea.
