'They attack with everything at once' — How Russia exploits Ukraine's vulnerability to ballistic missiles (opens original article in a new tab)

Russia increased ballistic and hypersonic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in June 2026, exploiting Ukraine's limited air defense capabilities and targeting cultural sites to project strength.

• Russia launched large-scale ballistic and hypersonic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in June 2026, using over 600 drones and 70 missiles in each strike.
• Ukraine faces a shortage of Patriot interceptors, making it difficult to counter ballistic missiles, which require U.S.-made systems for reliable interception.
• Russia's attacks target both military and cultural sites, suggesting a strategic aim to demonstrate capability and influence domestic and international perceptions.