In his regular evening address on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a stark warning: intelligence services indicate that Russia may launch another large-scale aerial attack against Ukraine tonight. The alert follows a devastating barrage overnight on 2 June, in which Russian forces launched over 70 missiles and 650 drones, killing at least 22 people.
“We know from intelligence services that a large-scale attack may happen again tonight,” Zelenskyy said, urging Ukrainians to heed air-raid warnings and seek shelter. He also renewed his call on Western partners to intensify support, including tougher sanctions on Moscow.
Sanctions Evasion and Component Supply
Zelenskyy underscored that Russia’s ability to sustain such attacks relies heavily on imported components, despite Western sanctions. He provided specific figures: five Kalibr missiles require 145 foreign-made components; 33 Iskander missiles need 1,122; and 650 attack drones of various types depend on more than 17,000 components. “None of Russia’s drones, nor any type of Russian missile, can be manufactured without components imported from other countries,” he stated, adding that large-scale schemes to circumvent sanctions constitute “absolutely real complicity in killings.”
The warning comes as Ukraine’s air defense faces critical shortages, particularly of Patriot interceptor missiles. The Patriot system, manufactured in the United States by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, remains the only surface-to-air missile system in Ukraine’s arsenal capable of countering Moscow’s ballistic missile threat. However, global stockpiles have been depleted, partly due to the US-Israel conflict with Iran, which saw Gulf states collectively fire more than 1,100 interceptors. Lockheed Martin produces roughly 600 interceptors annually, but Zelenskyy noted that monthly production has reached only 60–65 missiles at best.
“Sadly, the current level of supplies for our air defense does not allow us to shoot down a significant proportion of missiles,” Zelenskyy admitted. While Ukrainian forces intercepted most of the drones in the recent attack, ballistic missiles remain the primary threat.
The situation has broader European implications. As EU leaders signal willingness to join peace talks only after a ceasefire, the immediate need for air defense support is acute. Meanwhile, Russian drone barrages continue to hit residential areas, underscoring the human cost of the war.
Zelenskyy’s warning serves as a reminder that Russia’s military industrial complex, though strained, remains capable of sustained aggression. The coming hours will test both Ukraine’s resilience and the effectiveness of international support.
