Day 1,222 of the Russia-Ukraine conflict – June 30 overview

Russia unleashed its most extensive aerial assault on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began, launching 537 aerial weapons overnight on Sunday. According to Ukraine's air force, this included 477 drones and decoys, along with 60 missiles. Ukrainian air defenses reportedly intercepted 475 of these threats. However, the attack claimed the life of F-16 pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustimenko, who was involved in countering the air raid.

The bombardments resulted in at least four additional fatalities across several regions, including Kherson, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kostiantynivka, as confirmed by local authorities. In western Ukraine, a drone strike in Drohobych, near Lviv, caused a significant fire at an industrial site and disrupted electricity in the area.

Poland responded by deploying aircraft in coordination with NATO allies to protect its airspace, though no Russian missiles entered Polish territory, according to its military command.

Elsewhere, Russian shelling killed two people in the Zaporizhia region, including a 70-year-old woman found beneath a collapsed nine-story building.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed to have downed three Ukrainian drones overnight and announced its capture of Novoukrainka village in the Donetsk region, where Moscow maintains partial control. One person was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian drone strike in Luhansk, and two others were injured in an attack on the Russian border area of Kursk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the urgency for increased military support from Western allies, particularly for enhanced air defense capabilities. He also signed a decree initiating Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use of anti-personnel mines. He argued that Russia, not being a signatory, has been exploiting this asymmetry by deploying such weapons extensively.

Parliamentary approval is still required for Ukraine’s formal withdrawal from the treaty. Roman Kostenko, a senior member of parliament, stated that a vote will soon take place. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry added that the decision to suspend the treaty's implementation was driven by national security concerns and the strategic imbalance it creates in favor of Russia.

In Washington, US Senator Lindsey Graham indicated that Congress is preparing to vote on new sanctions against Russia, prompted by former President Donald Trump’s call to advance the legislative process.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that tougher European sanctions would provoke significant consequences. He described sanctions as a “double-edged sword,” noting that Russia views them as unlawful.

Separately, Russian intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin revealed that he had a direct conversation with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and both parties agreed to maintain open lines for urgent communication.