From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro / June 30, 2025
As 447 drones and 60 missiles terrorize Ukraine from Crimea to western borders, F-16 pilot dies heroically shooting down seven targets while Zelensky withdraws from landmine ban treaty
Summary of the Day – June 29, 2025
Russia conducted its largest combined strike of the war on June 29, launching 537 aerial weapons including 447 Shahed and decoy drones alongside 60 missiles against targets across Ukraine. The unprecedented bombardment killed a Ukrainian F-16 pilot who shot down seven Russian targets before his aircraft crashed, while civilian infrastructure suffered damage from Crimea to western regions far from front lines. As the assault unfolded, President Zelensky signed a decree withdrawing Ukraine from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, following similar moves by Baltic states and Poland. Meanwhile, diplomatic developments included Senator Lindsey Graham’s announcement that Trump approved Senate voting on new Russian sanctions, while Hungarian officials claimed the U.S. lifted sanctions hindering Russian nuclear plant expansion, and Slovak Foreign Minister suggested “forgiving” Russian actions to resume dialogue.
Unprecedented Aerial Assault: 537 Weapons Target Ukraine in Single Night
Russian forces launched their largest combined strike series of the war on the night of June 28-29, deploying 537 strike vehicles including 447 Shahed and decoy drones from multiple directions. The Ukrainian Air Force reported Russian forces also launched four Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles from Tambov Oblast airspace, seven Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from Voronezh Oblast, 41 Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles from Saratov, Kursk, and Bryansk oblasts, five Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea, and three S-300 air defense missiles from Kursk Oblast.
Ukrainian forces shot down 221 drones, one Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missile, 33 Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles, and four Kalibr cruise missiles, while 225 drones and one cruise missile were suppressed by electronic warfare systems. The scale represented Russia’s continued efforts to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses through massive drone swarms enabling subsequent missile strikes.
Hero of the Skies: F-16 Pilot Dies After Downing Seven Russian Targets
Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, was killed while flying a U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet during the overnight assault after shooting down seven aerial targets. The Air Force reported his aircraft was damaged while attempting to intercept the eighth target, losing altitude and crashing before he could eject.
Voice of Ukraine 