Russia’s drone attacks on Ukraine hit record high in July

Russia reportedly launched much than 14 times arsenic galore drones connected Ukraine than it did successful July 2024.

Russia fired much than 6,000 drones connected Ukraine successful July, much than immoderate different period since it launched its full-scale penetration successful 2022, the AFP quality bureau and the Kyiv Independent reported.

The drone attacks killed dozens of radical and injured galore more. They besides damaged civilian targets, including galore homes, a kindergarten and an ambulance.

According to the AFP quality agency, information published by Ukraine’s aerial unit showed that Russia fired 6,297 long-range drones into Ukraine past month, up by astir 16 percent compared with June.

The Kyiv Independent reported that Russia launched a grounds 6,129 Shahed-type drones successful July, 14 times much than successful the aforesaid period past year, erstwhile Russia launched conscionable 423 drones.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat told the Kyiv Independent that the existent fig of Russian drone attacks whitethorn beryllium higher, since figures are based connected estimates.

In conscionable 1 nighttime connected July 9, Russian forces launched a grounds 741 drones and decoys connected Western Ukraine, much than the fig of drones it launched successful the full period of July past year.

The combined Russian rocket and drone attacks connected July 9 killed astatine slightest 8 people successful Ukraine’s Sumy, Donetsk and Kherson regions, adjacent arsenic Ukrainian forces changeable down each but 10 of the drones launched that day.

The July 9 onslaught came a time aft United States President Donald Trump said his medication would assistance send Ukraine much “defensive weapons”, conscionable days aft the Pentagon had said it was halting deliveries of immoderate weapons to Ukraine, owed to debased stockpiles.

“They person to beryllium capable to support themselves,” Trump said, arsenic helium announced that European allies would concern Patriot aerial defence systems for Ukraine, from the US weapons institution Raytheon. “They are getting deed precise hard now,” helium added.

Russia’s dense drone and rocket attacks continued close up until the extremity of the month, with an onslaught connected Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, connected July 31 killing astatine slightest 31 people, including 5 children, and wounding 159 others.

Rescuers laic toys and flowers connected the tract of Russia’s Thursday nighttime rocket strike, which deed a multistorey residential building, sidesplitting 31 civilians, including 5 children, successful Kyiv, Ukraine, connected Friday [Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia utilized much than 300 drones and 8 missiles successful the attack.

According to the AFP, Russia besides fired 198 missiles into Ukraine successful July, much than successful immoderate period this twelvemonth but successful June.

The fig of drones Russia fired successful June was the second-highest magnitude aft July, with 5,337 successful total, according to the Kyiv Independent.

That included immoderate 479 drones fired astatine Ukraine connected June 9, conscionable up of the commencement of a captive swap the 2 countries had agreed to astatine talks successful Istanbul.

Peace talks continued successful Turkiye past month but person truthful acold failed to scope a lasting ceasefire agreement, adjacent arsenic Trump has threatened to enforce caller sanctions connected Russia and countries that bargain its exports.

Russian drones flying higher

Russian forces person adjusted their drones since the 2022 invasion, truthful that they present alert respective kilometres supra ground, making it harder to sprout them down with machineguns.

This has made Ukraine adjacent much babelike connected US aerial defence weaponry, including the precocious announced European-funded Patriot systems.

Russia besides sends a operation of drone types to Ukraine. More than fractional transportation explosives, but determination are besides decoys designed to discarded Ukrainian antiaircraft missiles and reconnaissance drones, which way Ukraine’s aerial defence squad locations.

Heavy drone barrages are besides utilized to overwhelm defence systems erstwhile missiles are fired.

Russia imports some its heavy Mohajer-6 drones and cheaper, slower Shahed “kamikaze” drones from Iran, which it described arsenic an “important partner” successful precocious 2024.

Ukraine, which became the world’s largest large arms importer from 2020 to 2024, has progressively been buying its ain supplies of millions of drones from section manufacturers.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies