Russia Says It Intercepted 660 Ukrainian Drones as Zelenskyy Orders 40-Day Pressure Campaign
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 26
Russia Says It Intercepted 660 Ukrainian Drones as Zelenskyy Orders 40-Day Pressure Campaign
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 26
Summary
Russian air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones overnight over 12 regions, Crimea, the Black Sea and the Azov Sea in one of the biggest such attacks since Moscow's 2022 invasion.
Zelenskyy had hours earlier announced a 40-day “influence operation” to compel Russia to end the war, signaling a broader escalation after U.S.-led peace efforts failed to produce a breakthrough.
47 drones were shot down approaching Moscow, while Tula region officials said a woman was wounded and power infrastructure and an industrial site in Novomoskovsk were damaged; Astra reported a chemical plant and hydro plant caught fire.
Ukraine has used long-range drone strikes for months to hit oil, energy and military-linked targets deep inside Russia, a campaign Western officials say has strained fuel supplies and logistics and increased pressure on Putin.
Russia also kept up its own attacks: Ukraine said 174 of 189 Russian drones were downed, but four of seven Iskander-M missiles hit, while Kharkiv region reported two civilians killed over the previous 24 hours.
As drones cripple Russian oil, is this the economic blow that finally ends the war?
Can Ukraine’s drone production surge truly outpace Russia’s vast war machine?
Ukraine’s Largest Drone Attack: The 660-Drone Barrage of June 26, 2026 and Its Ripple Effects in Russia
Overview
On June 26, 2026, Ukraine launched its largest drone attack since 2022, with Russia reporting the interception of 660 drones. This massive barrage targeted 12 Russian regions, annexed Crimea, and areas over the Black and Azov Seas, marking a major escalation in Ukraine’s strategic pressure campaign. The attack surpassed the previous record of 556 drones on May 17, 2026, and followed a series of large-scale drone operations focused on Moscow and its surroundings since mid-June. These coordinated strikes highlight Ukraine’s growing use of drone technology to challenge Russia’s defenses and disrupt its sense of security.