Putin Ramps Up Missile Barrage: Ukraine Braces for “1,000 Strikes a Night”

Ukraine is bracing for a new phase in Russia’s aerial onslaught, as Moscow’s defense industry surges toward a staggering goal: launching up to 1,000 missiles and drones in a single night, military sources warn.

The warning comes after two record-breaking waves of attacks, in which Russian forces unleashed hundreds of missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones on Ukrainian cities.

Last weekend, 537 aerial weapons struck in just 24 hours — only for that grim milestone to be shattered days later with a salvo of 550.

Among the casualties was Lt. Col. Maksym Ustymenko, a Ukrainian F-16 pilot who managed to shoot down six drones before a seventh struck his jet. With his aircraft crippled, Ustymenko steered away from residential areas, sacrificing himself to avoid civilian casualties—a death his comrades called “heroic.”

Ukrainian air defense teams are now on high alert, as Russian factories accelerate production and supply chains expand, including through alleged Chinese support.

“Russia’s defense industry is now able to stockpile enough missiles and drones for at least two more years of war,” a Ukrainian military source said.

Analysts believe Moscow is betting on sheer volume to wear down Ukrainian morale and deplete Western-supplied air defenses. “They’re deliberately targeting cities, hoping to exhaust Ukrainian air defense capabilities and undermine Western resolve,” said Michael Kofman, a leading analyst of Russian and Ukrainian military operations.

Recent US delays in arms shipments, especially the critical Patriot missile interceptors, have further exposed Ukraine’s cities. “Without these systems, major hubs like Kyiv are at greater risk from ballistic missile attacks,” warned one Ukrainian intelligence official.

Despite the mounting pressure, Ukrainian forces continue to shoot down large numbers of incoming threats.

In the latest assault, more than half the drones and missiles were intercepted, though some still slipped through, killing at least six and wounding 14.

On the home front, the relentless barrages are taking their toll.

“Every day we’re under bombardment,” said Liza Sherstyuk, an aid worker in Sumy. “My friend’s home was destroyed. Her father is dead and her mother is in hospital.”

Yet Ukraine is striking back. In May, a drone attack on a Russian microelectronics plant forced airports near Moscow to close. And last month, drones smuggled into Russia hit four airfields, damaging dozens of aircraft and showcasing Kyiv’s ability to retaliate.

As the arms race in the skies escalates, one thing is clear: Ukraine’s battle for survival is entering its most dangerous chapter yet.