Russia fired greater than 6,000 drones on Ukraine in July, greater than some other month because it launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the AFP information company and the Kyiv Impartial reported.
The drone assaults killed dozens of individuals and injured many extra. Additionally they broken civilian targets, together with many properties, a kindergarten and an ambulance.
In keeping with the AFP information company, information printed by Ukraine’s air power confirmed that Russia fired 6,297 long-range drones into Ukraine final month, up by practically 16 % in contrast with June.
The Kyiv Impartial reported that Russia launched a document 6,129 Shahed-type drones in July, 14 occasions greater than in the identical month final 12 months, when Russia launched simply 423 drones.
Ukrainian Air Pressure spokesperson Yurii Ihnat instructed the Kyiv Impartial that the actual variety of Russian drone assaults could also be larger, since figures are based mostly on estimates.
In only one evening on July 9, Russian forces launched a document 741 drones and decoys on Western Ukraine, greater than the variety of drones it launched in your entire month of July final 12 months.
The mixed Russian missile and drone assaults on July 9 killed no less than eight folks 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 stated his administration would assist ship Ukraine extra “defensive weapons”, simply days after the Pentagon had stated it was halting deliveries of some weapons to Ukraine, on account of low stockpiles.
“They’ve to have the ability to defend themselves,” Trump stated, as he introduced that European allies would finance Patriot air defence techniques for Ukraine, from the US weapons firm Raytheon. “They’re getting hit very exhausting now,” he added.
Russia’s heavy drone and missile assaults continued proper up till the tip of the month, with an assault on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on July 31 killing no less than 31 folks, together with 5 youngsters, and wounding 159 others.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia used greater than 300 drones and eight missiles within the assault.
In keeping with the AFP, Russia additionally fired 198 missiles into Ukraine in July, greater than in any month this 12 months besides in June.
The variety of drones Russia fired in June was the second-highest quantity after July, with 5,337 in complete, based on the Kyiv Impartial.
That included some 479 drones fired at Ukraine on June 9, simply forward of the beginning of a prisoner swap the 2 international locations had agreed to at talks in Istanbul.
Peace talks continued in Turkiye final month however have to date failed to achieve a long-lasting ceasefire settlement, whilst Trump has threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia and international locations 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 lately introduced European-funded Patriot techniques.
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 monitor Ukraine’s air defence group areas.
Heavy drone barrages are additionally used to overwhelm defence techniques 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 “necessary companion” in late 2024.
Ukraine, which grew to become the world’s largest main arms importer from 2020 to 2024, has more and more been shopping for its personal provides of hundreds of thousands of drones from native producers.
