Russia Can’t Win on the Ground, So It’s Pummeling Ukraine From the Sky.

It feels like Russia is losing its grip on the battlefield in Ukraine, so it's doubling down on what it can still do: rain down missiles and drones from above.

Over the past few months, the volume of these aerial attacks has gone through the roof. We're talking swarms of cheap drones, followed by fast ballistic missiles, and then cruise missiles all timed perfectly to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses. The strategy is simple: throw so much at the sky that some of it is bound to get through.

And it's working, in the worst way.

This past Tuesday was brutal. Russia launched eight of its terrifying "Zircon" hypersonic missiles the kind that are nearly impossible to stop and can sink an aircraft carrier. Ukraine couldn't intercept a single one. In total, the barrage killed 23 people and wounded 151 others across the country.

So why is Russia doing this now?

According to military experts, it's because they're struggling badly on the ground. In April, Ukraine actually reclaimed more territory than Russia seized a first since 2024. Since they can't make big gains with tanks and troops, they're using air power as their only real lever to hurt Ukraine.

The numbers are staggering. Earlier this year, Russia was launching about 5,000 Shahed attack drones a month. Last month? Over 8,000. Ukraine still manages to shoot down about 90% of those drones, which is honestly amazing. But the real problem is the ballistic and hypersonic missiles. They're just too fast. Tuesday's attack included 41 ballistic missiles more than all of last month combined and 30 of them hit their targets.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says the country only gets about 60-65 interceptor missiles a month for its Patriot systems. That's nowhere near enough, especially after many were used up in the Middle East.

But here's the really dark part: this isn't just about military targets. Experts say Russia is deliberately trying to terrorize ordinary people. By hitting apartment buildings, starting fires, and using "double tap" strikes (hitting the same spot twice to kill first responders), Moscow wants to turn public anger toward Ukraine's own leadership. They want people to beg Zelensky to negotiate on Russia's terms.

Even Kyiv, the capital and best-defended city, got hit hard. In the final wave of strikes on Tuesday morning, CNN producers heard explosions but not the sound of Ukrainian air defenses firing back. That silence is worrying.

Zelensky is pleading with allies especially the U.S. and Europe for more Patriot missiles. But experts warn there will simply never be enough to stop every attack. Russia knows that. And as long as they can't win on the ground, they'll keep terrorizing from above.