US expects major Russian retaliation on Ukraine
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US officials say Russia’s full retaliation for Ukraine’s drone strike is imminent and likely to be a major multi-pronged attack.
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Fire and smoke rise from the site where a Russian missile struck Kharkov, Ukraine, Saturday, June 7, 2025 (AP)
The United States believes Russia has not yet fully retaliated for last weekend’s unprecedented Ukrainian drone strike on its airbases and is preparing a sweeping, multi-pronged military response, according to US officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Despite a barrage of Russian missiles and drones targeting Kiev on Friday, US intelligence sources indicate this was only a preliminary response, with a more severe offensive expected in the coming days.
One US official said the looming retaliation is expected to be “asymmetrical,” implying it will not mirror Ukraine’s tactics but could employ a diverse array of Russian air capabilities, including cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones.
The anticipated strike is believed to be both symbolic and punitive, possibly aimed at high-profile Ukrainian targets such as government buildings, intelligence centers, or defense industry facilities.
A senior Western diplomat warned the attack could be “huge, vicious and unrelenting,” characterizing it as an effort by Russian President Vladimir Putin to assert strength and retaliate forcefully following Ukraine’s daring operation, code-named Spider’s Web.
Ukraine intelligence could be struck
Kiev claimed responsibility for the June 2 assault, which reportedly involved 117 drones launched from within Russian territory and smuggled into range over an extended preparation period. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed up to 40 Russian aircraft were affected, but US assessments suggest around 20 warplanes were hit and at least 10 destroyed.
The drones targeted major Russian military airfields, some reportedly housing nuclear-capable bombers. Moscow has denied any aircraft were destroyed, with its Defense Ministry saying only minor damage occurred.
Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and expert on the Russian military, said Moscow could focus its retaliation on Ukraine’s domestic intelligence services. “Most likely, they will attempt to retaliate against [SBU] headquarters, or other regional intelligence administration buildings,” Kofman said, adding that Ukrainian weapons production facilities could also be in the crosshairs. Kofman noted, however, that Russia’s capacity to escalate is limited. “Russia’s ability to substantially escalate strikes from what they are already doing… is quite constrained,” he said.
Tensions rise as Putin vows response
Putin reportedly told US President Donald Trump during a phone call on Wednesday that Russia “would have to respond” to Ukraine’s drone campaign. Trump, in turn, publicly discouraged Putin from further escalation, saying, “Don’t do it. You should stop it.” Still, Trump acknowledged the seriousness of the threat, telling reporters, “It’s probably not going to be pretty… There’s a lot of hatred.”
The Russian military launched a series of mass strikes on Ukrainian military targets, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Friday, in response to what it dubbed as "terrorist attacks" by Kiev.
"Last night, in response to the terrorist actions of the Kiev regime, the armed forces of the Russian Federation carried out a massive strike with long-range air, sea, and ground-based high-precision weapons, as well as with strike UAVs against design bureaus, enterprises producing and repairing weapons and military hardware of Ukraine, attack drone assembly workshops, flight training centers, and AFU weapons and military hardware depots," the Ministry said on Telegram.
The targets included design bureaus, military hardware production and repair facilities, drone assembly workshops, flight training centers, and depots of weapons and military equipment belonging to Ukraine's armed forces (AFU).
The Ministry also noted that six coordinated strikes were carried out over the past week on military-industrial sites and other strategic military facilities, with all targets successfully hit.
