Russia hits Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv

Russia launched one of its largest recent aerial attacks on Ukraine early on Tuesday, striking Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv with missiles and drones, according to Ukrainian officials and multiple news reports. Local authorities said apartment blocks, civilian infrastructure and power facilities were damaged, and rescuers were still searching damaged buildings hours later. Casualty counts varied through the day as emergency crews worked in several cities, with reports putting the death toll between at least 16 and 17 and the number of wounded above 100. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles overnight, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing the military. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said people were trapped in damaged buildings after strikes hit several districts, while officials in Dnipro and Kharkiv also reported deaths, injuries and damage to residential areas. (apnews.com) ### How broad was the overnight strike? Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv were among the main cities hit in the June 2 assault, with strikes also reported in the surrounding regions. Reuters, as cited by other outlets that republished its report, said the attack followed several days of warnings from Kyiv that Moscow was preparing a major assault. (aljazeera.com) The Kyiv Independent reported that the overnight barrage killed at least 17 people and injured more than 100 across Ukraine. Associated Press, in a separate report, said at least 16 civilians were killed and more than 100 wounded. The changing toll reflected the fact that rescue operations were continuing through the morning. ### What do officials say was hit in Kyiv? Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said four people were killed in the capital and 63 were injured, according to Meduza’s summary of official statements. (kathmandupost.com) The report said at least 40 people were hospitalized, including three children. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said Russian forces used ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles in the attack on the capital, RBC-Ukraine reported. (kyivindependent.com) The same report said damage was recorded in the Podilskyi and Obolonskyi districts and that electricity supply was affected in parts of the city. ### Why did the attack land at a sensitive diplomatic moment? (meduza.io) The United Nations told the Security Council on June 1 that the war was entering a more dangerous phase. Kayoko Gotoh, Director and Officer-in-Charge for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, said the U.N. continued to warn against “dangerous escalation” and stressed the need for restraint and dialogue. RBC-Ukraine reported on June 1 that Moscow wanted a “new approach” to peace negotiations and was dissatisfied with the current pattern of visits by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. (newsukraine.rbc.ua) That report attributed the account to the New York Times. ### What has the U.N. been warning about? The U.N. said on June 1 that rising attacks were increasing the danger to civilians and deepening the risk of further escalation. (news.un.org) In a separate warning issued on May 28, U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk urged restraint and a return to negotiations, saying the latest threats of intensified attacks risked worsening civilian suffering. U.N. coverage from late May said the Security Council had already been briefed after another large Russian barrage on Ukrainian cities. (newsukraine.rbc.ua) Those briefings described civilian casualties rising and humanitarian operations coming under direct attack. ### What comes next? June 2 rescue operations were still under way in Kyiv and other cities as officials updated casualty figures and searched damaged residential buildings. (news.un.org) The next formal U.N. marker is the Security Council’s continuing scrutiny of the escalation described in its June 1 briefing, while Ukrainian local authorities were expected to keep releasing revised tolls and damage assessments through the day. (news.un.org)