In July, Russia launched over 6,297 drones into Ukraine, the highest number since the full-scale invasion in 2022, according to the AFP news agency and the Kyiv Independent. These attacks led to numerous casualties, injuries, and damage to civilian structures, including homes, a kindergarten, and an ambulance.
Ukraine’s air force reported that this drone activity was a significant increase from June. Russia launched a record 6,129 Shahed-type drones in July, an amount 14 times greater than in July of the previous year when only 423 drones were launched.
On July 9, Russia reached a new peak with a single night attack of 741 drones and decoys in Western Ukraine, surpassing the total number from the entire month of July the year before. The July 9 attacks, which included missiles in addition to drones, resulted in at least eight deaths across Sumy, Donetsk, and Kherson regions, despite Ukrainian forces intercepting all drones except 10.
The July 9 assault followed an announcement by then-US President Donald Trump to provide Ukraine with more “defensive weapons,” despite earlier plans by the Pentagon to halt some deliveries due to low stockpiles. Trump’s statement acknowledged Ukraine’s need to defend itself against the intense Russian onslaught.
The drone and missile assaults persisted throughout July, culminating in a July 31 strike on Kyiv that caused significant losses, including the deaths of at least 31 people, five of whom were children.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that over 300 drones and eight missiles were used during this attack.
In addition to drones, Russia fired 198 missiles into Ukraine during July, the highest amount this year except June, according to the AFP. The attacks in June, which included a record 479 drones on the 9th, preceded an agreed prisoner swap and continued peace talks in Turkey, yet a lasting ceasefire remained elusive.
Russian drone tactics have evolved since 2022, with drones flying higher to evade machine gun fire, necessitating a greater reliance on US air defense systems like the Patriot systems funded by European allies.
Russia’s drone arsenal includes explosive-carrying drones and decoys for wastage of Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. The country sources its drones, including Mohajer-6 and Shahed types, from Iran, with the latter being labeled as “kamikaze” drones.
Ukraine, the world’s largest arms importer between 2020 and 2024, is bolstering its own drone supplies by purchasing from local manufacturers.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/3/russias-drone-attacks-on-ukraine-hit-record-high-in-july?traffic_source=rss
