Russia launched a major overnight assault on Ukraine with over 300 drones and more than 30 cruise missiles, killing at least one person and injuring several others. The attack, among the largest this year, reflects a sharp escalation in Russia’s bombing campaign against Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the strike in a post on X, noting that the drone barrage damaged critical infrastructure in several regions. In Odesa, a Black Sea port city, more than 20 drones and one missile struck residential areas, killing one and wounding six others, including a child. Odesa’s mayor reported that five people were rescued from a burning high-rise.
In the northeastern Sumy region, drone and missile strikes also damaged infrastructure, though details remain limited. The intensity of Russia’s drone attacks has increased significantly in recent weeks, with military analysts warning that these overnight barrages are becoming more frequent and more destructive. On July 8, Russia launched more than 700 drones in a single night, the largest drone attack since the war began.
Zelenskyy used the occasion to thank Western allies for supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts, including joint arms manufacturing and air defense supplies. He emphasized the urgency of international military support to counter Russia’s increasingly aggressive tactics.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it intercepted 71 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 13 drones were shot down near the capital. The mutual drone warfare has escalated on both sides, reflecting the grinding and increasingly high-tech nature of the conflict, now in its fourth year.
