Russia fired greater than 6,000 drones on Ukraine in July, greater than every other 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.
In accordance with the AFP information company, knowledge printed by Ukraine’s air pressure confirmed that Russia fired 6,297 long-range drones into Ukraine final month, up by almost 16 % in contrast with June.
The Kyiv Unbiased 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 advised the Kyiv Unbiased that the actual 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 all the month of July final 12 months.
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 stated his administration would assist send Ukraine more “defensive weapons”, simply days after the Pentagon had stated it was halting deliveries of some weapons to Ukraine, resulting from 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 arduous 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 youngsters, and wounding 159 others.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia used greater than 300 drones and eight missiles within the assault.
In accordance 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 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 to date failed to achieve 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 for the reason that 2022 invasion, in order that they now fly a number of kilometres above floor, making it more durable 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 techniques.
Russia additionally sends a mix of drone varieties 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 workforce places.
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 “important partner” in late 2024.
Ukraine, which turned 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.
