Russia fired greater than 6,000 drones on Ukraine in July, greater than another month because it launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the AFP information company and the Kyiv Unbiased reported.
The drone assaults killed dozens of individuals and injured many extra. In addition they broken civilian targets, together with many properties, a kindergarten and an ambulance.
Based on the AFP information company, information printed by Ukraine’s air pressure confirmed that Russia fired 6,297 long-range drones into Ukraine final month, up by almost 16 p.c in contrast with June.
The Kyiv Unbiased reported that Russia launched a report 6,129 Shahed-type drones in July, 14 occasions greater than in the identical month final yr, when Russia launched simply 423 drones.
Ukrainian Air Power spokesperson Yurii Ihnat advised the Kyiv Unbiased that the true variety of Russian drone assaults could also be larger, since figures are primarily based on estimates.
In only one evening on July 9, Russian forces launched a record 741 drones and decoys on Western Ukraine, greater than the variety of drones it launched in your complete month of July final yr.
The mixed Russian missile and drone assaults on July 9 killed at least eight people in Ukraine’s Sumy, Donetsk and Kherson areas, whilst Ukrainian forces shot down all however 10 of the drones launched that day.
The July 9 assault got here a day after United States President Donald Trump mentioned his administration would assist send Ukraine more “defensive weapons”, simply days after the Pentagon had mentioned it was halting deliveries of some weapons to Ukraine, because of low stockpiles.
“They’ve to have the ability to defend themselves,” Trump mentioned, as he introduced that European allies would finance Patriot air defence programs for Ukraine, from the US weapons firm Raytheon. “They’re getting hit very onerous now,” he added.
Russia’s heavy drone and missile assaults continued proper up till the top of the month, with an assault on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on July 31 killing at least 31 people, together with 5 kids, and wounding 159 others.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that Russia used greater than 300 drones and eight missiles within the assault.
Based on the AFP, Russia additionally fired 198 missiles into Ukraine in July, greater than in any month this yr besides in June.
The variety of drones Russia fired in June was the second-highest quantity after July, with 5,337 in complete, in line with the Kyiv Unbiased.
That included some 479 drones fired at Ukraine on June 9, simply forward of the beginning of a prisoner swap the 2 nations had agreed to at talks in Istanbul.
Peace talks continued in Turkiye last month however have thus far failed to succeed in a long-lasting ceasefire settlement, whilst Trump has threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia and nations that purchase its exports.
Russian drones flying larger
Russian forces have adjusted their drones because the 2022 invasion, in order that they now fly a number of kilometres above floor, making it tougher to shoot them down with machineguns.
This has made Ukraine much more depending on US air defence weaponry, together with the just lately introduced European-funded Patriot programs.
Russia additionally sends a mix of drone sorts to Ukraine. Greater than half carry explosives, however there are additionally decoys designed to waste Ukrainian defensive missiles and reconnaissance drones, which observe Ukraine’s air defence group areas.
Heavy drone barrages are additionally used to overwhelm defence programs when missiles are fired.
Russia imports each its heavy Mohajer-6 drones and cheaper, slower Shahed “kamikaze” drones from Iran, which it described as an “important partner” in late 2024.
Ukraine, which grew to become the world’s largest main arms importer from 2020 to 2024, has more and more been buying its own supplies of hundreds of thousands of drones from native producers.
