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At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day

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At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
Firefighters extinguish the fire that erupted after a Russian attack against Ukraine's Poltava Oblast on June 21, 2025. (State Emergency Service / Telegram)

At least 13 civilians were injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on June 21.

Russia launched 272 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones, along with two ballistic missiles and six cruise missiles, Ukraine's Air Force said.

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 140 drones, three Iskander-K cruise missiles, one Kinzhal air-to-air missile, and one Kalibr cruise missile. Another 112 drones reportedly dropped off radars — likely used as decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian systems.

The Air Force said the combined attack was repelled using aviation, mobile fire groups, electronic warfare units, and anti-aircraft missile systems.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian strikes on residential areas and social infrastructure injured seven civilians, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Kherson and surrounding settlements west of the Dnipro River face near-daily Russian attacks.

In Donetsk Oblast, three people were wounded in Russian strikes, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported. The region remains one of the most heavily targeted areas amid ongoing Russian offensive operations.

In Poltava Oblast, one person was moderately injured after Russian attacks damaged energy infrastructure and open areas, according to local officials.

A 75-year-old woman was injured in Sumy Oblast after a drone strike, regional authorities said. A woman was also wounded in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported, without specifying the nature of the attack.

The strikes come amid Russia's ongoing refusal to accept ceasefire proposals as it intensifies coordinated aerial assaults across Ukraine.

‘All of Ukraine is ours’ — Putin on Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said “all of Ukraine” belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow’s final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin’s
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Tim Zadorozhnyy

News Editor

Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.

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