Putin Visits Battlefield and Vows More Land Grabs; Ukraine Strikes St. Petersburg Oil Terminal and Vysotsk Port, Causes Crimea Blackouts

Russia launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv, firing over 70 missiles and killing at least 27 people.

At least 27 people were killed and more than 80 injured after Russia fired over 70 missiles and drones at Kyiv in one of the largest single attacks on Ukraine's capital since the war began. Damage was recorded across 30 locations in the city, with officials describing most struck sites as ordinary residential buildings rather than military targets. Six additional people were killed in attacks across three separate regions of Ukraine on the same day, indicating a broad, coordinated wave of strikes. In the aftermath, both sides vowed to escalate. President Zelenskyy said Ukraine would 'definitely' retaliate, while the Kremlin pledged to ramp up pressure. Putin also visited the battlefield and denounced Ukraine's 'imaginary achievements,' vowing to seize more Ukrainian territory and calling Ukrainian leaders 'play actors.' Russia claimed the capture of the strategically significant city of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region, with Putin reportedly celebrating the announcement. However, the Institute for the Study of War assessed the claim as contrary to all available evidence, casting serious doubt on its veracity. In response to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, Putin acknowledged the attacks were causing 'obvious' fuel shortages inside Russia but insisted they were 'not critical.' Ukraine escalated further, striking an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and the nearby Baltic port of Vysotsk in the early hours of July 4; the St. Petersburg governor reported no victims from the 'large-scale' overnight attack. Ukraine also struck several substations in Crimea overnight on July 5, plunging the Russian-occupied territory into a blackout, according to social media reports. Putin had previously threatened to expand Russia's offensive in northeastern Ukraine if such strikes on Russian infrastructure continued. On the international front, Germany's foreign ministry called reports that Russian soldiers are being trained in China 'deeply disturbing,' warning that anything enabling Russia to continue its aggression represents a threat to German security. Meanwhile, Russia is reportedly recruiting university students to sign military contracts as the Kremlin seeks to sustain its now five-year war effort amid mounting personnel losses. Zelenskyy, speaking in Dublin as Ireland assumed the EU presidency, also urged the EU to keep its promises on Ukraine's accession talks.

Why it matters

An attack of this scale on a major capital city, targeting residential buildings across 30 locations, represents a significant intensification of Russia's aerial campaign and places enormous pressure on Ukraine's air defenses. The civilian death toll and widespread destruction have broad implications for international support and the course of the war.

What's next

Rescue and recovery operations were ongoing across the affected areas of Kyiv as officials continued to assess the full extent of casualties and damage.

Key facts

Bias & framing notes

The two Guardian reports conflict on the death toll — one headline cites 21 dead with 80+ injured while the other states at least 27 dead, likely reflecting updates over time rather than factual disagreement. The US News/Reuters report focuses narrowly on six deaths in three regions and does not address the Kyiv attack at all, suggesting either different timing or a different aspect of the same day's violence. The Guardian framing emphasizes Russian fuel shortages as context, which the Reuters report does not mention.

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