Russia's escalating strikes made July the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians in more than three years. More civilians were killed in Ukraine in July than in any month since April 2022, driven by intensified Russian attacks using ballistic missiles and long-range drones, the UN human rights office in Ukraine reports.

The record is the human cost of a shortage of interceptors for ballistic missiles amid the US war with Iran. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the cut in interceptor supplies from partners may be a political attempt to make Ukraine more compliant, a claim he made after the same overnight attack that killed at least 17 civilians, mainly in Kyiv and the surrounding region.

The month's toll came from strikes on cities

The July deaths clustered around attacks on populated areas. Beyond the Kyiv strike, air and drone attacks hit Kramatorsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, killing and wounding dozens and destroying homes, schools, public transport, water systems, and humanitarian warehouses, according to the UN.

The targets read as the fabric of civilian life. Water systems, schools, and aid depots are not military objects, and their destruction alongside the deaths is what the UN monitoring mission records when it documents the effect of Russia's long-range strikes on the civilian population.

The half-year figures show a steep climb

The July record sits atop a sharply rising trend. In the first half of 2026, the UN monitoring mission confirmed 1,396 Ukrainian civilians killed and 7,978 wounded.

Those numbers are climbing fast. The first-half toll is 37% higher than the same period in 2025 and 114% higher than the year before, as Russia intensifies its long-range strikes. Civilian deaths have more than doubled in two years, a direct measure of what the shift to massed ballistic and jet-powered drone attacks has done to the people beneath them.

Russia reported its own civilian deaths

The UN also noted casualties on the Russian side. According to Russian local authorities, Ukrainian long-range drone retaliation strikes on several Russian cities this week reportedly killed at least 12 people.

The scale is asymmetric and the cause singular: it is Russia's war on Ukraine, and its intensifying strikes on Ukrainian cities, that made July the deadliest month for civilians since the war's first spring.

Russia's overnight missile-and-drone barrage on Kyiv and its surrounding region on 5 August destroyed the warehouses and production sites of several of Ukraine's largest retail and logistics companies, killed 17 people and wounded 44 more, and laid bare the country's dwindling ability to intercept ballistic missiles, according to Ukrainian officials.

Russia's main target on 5 August: Ukraine's warehouses

Russia has spent this year pushing its air war toward the ballistic missiles that Ukrainian defenses struggle most to stop, launching more of them than Ukraine can shoot down while its Patriot interceptor stocks run dry, and pairing them with drone waves that keep reaching homes, transit and the warehouses that feed the country.

Three Russian ballistic missiles destroyed the largest distribution center operated by Rozetka, Ukraine’s biggest online retailer, near Kyiv overnight on 5 August. Rozetka co-founder Iryna Chechotkina said the warehouse had processed more than 100,000 online orders each day and was beyond repair.

By dawn, the attack had torn through the civilian logistics network moving parcels, groceries, household goods and construction materials across the capital and its suburbs. At least 17 people were killed and 44 injured in the broader barrage, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In its 5 August 2026 strikes, Russia destroyed a sorting center owned by Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s largest private parcel carrier, as well as major facilities operated by Epicentr, the country’s largest home-improvement retailer. Sites belonging to Novus and Fozzy Group, two major Ukrainian grocery retailers, were also damaged.

Nova Poshta said cluster munitions—bombs that scatter smaller explosives across a wide area—destroyed its Kyiv sorting center. Three people were killed and eight injured. Two of those killed were drivers for a partner carrier, while the third worked for a contractor.

Epicentr lost two major warehouse complexes and much of its ceramic-tile production. One employee was killed, and three were hospitalized at the company’s complex in Kalynivka. Its logistics center on Kyiv’s Viskozna Street burned completely, while another Russian missile destroyed the factory's kilns.

During a separate overnight attack on 3-4 August, a Russian drone destroyed a Biosphere warehouse storing household and personal-care products in Dnipro, although all employees reached shelter and no one was injured.

The Kyiv attack extended beyond commercial facilities. Russia's attack killed eight people waiting for a delayed train at Kvitneva station, a commuter stop near Brovary, east of Kyiv. Missiles also hit homes and offices, damaged an ambulance and caused an ammonia leak at a non-residential site.

An earlier Euromaidan Press report detailed the destruction across Kyiv and the surrounding region.

Why Ukraine intercepted none of the missiles

Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles and four Zircon and Oniks anti-ship missiles, high-speed weapons designed primarily to strike naval targets but also used against Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine intercepted none of the 28, the Ukrainian Air Force said. Air defenses shot down or electronically disabled 98 of the 115 accompanying drones.

Missiles and 17 drones struck 26 locations, while debris fell at another six.

Zelenskyy said ballistic-missile interceptors could have saved those killed. Ukraine’s stocks of Patriot missiles, its only reliable defense against Russian ballistic weapons, are critically depleted. 

A global interceptor shortage means manufacturers cannot produce advanced air-defense missiles fast enough to meet demand.

Russia exploited the same gap on 1 August 2026, when it fired 27 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and Ukraine intercepted only one.

Moscow may point to recent Ukrainian strikes on Wildberries logistics centers to frame its attacks as retaliation. Ukrainian officials say the Russian retailer transports military goods, including drone components and navigation equipment. The Kremlin denies that Wildberries carries military cargo.

Ukraine’s acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha rejected any comparison between the attacks. "Russian attacks cannot be justified by anything, including any actions by Ukraine," he said.

The Russian brigade blamed for the Bucha killings is now turning on the families of its own dead. The command of the 64th Motorized Rifle Brigade, fighting near Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, is intimidating the wives of missing soldiers who try to learn their fate, the ATESH partisan movement reported.

The brigade is reportedly hiding its dead by calling them missing. The relabeling lets Russia fake a lower death toll while cheating the dead soldiers' families. By logging killed troops as "missing" rather than dead, the 64th Brigade keeps its real losses out of Russia's casualty statistics and out of the compensation system.

Dmitry Shabaev, the commander of the 64th Brigade, systematically ignores the appeals of wives and mothers trying to find their relatives, the partisans claim.

Meanwhile, security services and counterintelligence pressure the women, threatening them with criminal cases for "discrediting" the army and total loss of any payments if they keep searching, according to ATESH.

The command relabels the dead to hide losses

ATESH described the mechanism with a recent example. On 30 May 2026, Ukraine's Defense Forces struck the "Prymorskyi Posad" training ground in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast used by the 64th Brigade, and the unit's losses were at least 31 soldiers, 13 of whom the staff promptly wrote off as "missing."

The Kremlin relies on hard commanders like Shabaev, who became brigade commander in 2025 and has already "zeroed out" several rotations of his battalions, ATESH said.

The unit is the same one tied to Bucha

The 64th Brigade carries a specific history. At the start of the full-scale war, it operated in the Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast and is one of the main subjects of the Bucha war-crimes investigations.

That record is documented. Weeks after Ukrainian forces retook Bucha in April 2022 and revealed executed civilians in the streets, Vladimir Putin awarded the 64th Brigade an honorary "Guards" title.

A drone came down on a beach full of Russian holidaymakers, and the evidence points to Russia's own air defense bringing it there. On 3 August, drones attacked Krasnodar Krai, and one crashed onto a beach in Arkhipo-Osipovka near Gelendzhik, killing at least six people, three of them children, and injuring around 40, Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said.

Russian outlet Agentstvo and OSINT analysts assessed that the drone likely fell because of Russian air-defense fire rather than a direct hit, citing gunfire audible in footage before the drone dived and an abrupt change in its flight path.

The beach sits directly in front of the Rassvet resort, a facility of NPO Mashinostroyeniya, one of Russia's key missile-manufacturing enterprises.

The warning system did not sound

Survivors say they had no notice. Local residents and holidaymakers complained that no air-raid alert sounded at all, though warning systems are installed in the village, and the Russian channel Astra also noted that no alert was heard in the region during the attack, per the reports.

People on the beach were in the open, with little chance to take cover, even if they had been warned. The absence of a siren in a resort packed at the height of the summer season left sunbathers and swimmers with no warning that a drone was overhead and being fired at.

The target was a missile maker's resort

NPO Mashinostroyeniya develops cruise missiles for the Russian army, and its Rassvet recreation base was the apparent target roughly 300 meters from where the drone came down, the Supernova Telegram channel reported.

Ukraine strikes Russian military-industrial sites across the country, and a missile-development enterprise is a legitimate military target. What turned a strike near a defense plant into a mass-casualty event on a beach was, by the analysts' account, Russian air defense knocking the drone down over the crowd rather than away from it. Ukraine had not commented on the strike.

The dynamic is one Ukraine knows intimately in reverse

Russian air-defense missiles and the debris of intercepted drones regularly fall on Ukrainian cities, killing civilians, and Ukraine has long documented how interception over populated areas kills the people it is meant to protect.

Russia is losing men faster than at any point this year. Russian occupation forces lost 42,860 personnel in July 2026, the highest monthly figure since the start of the year, Ukraine's General Staff reported on 1 August.

The toll works out to roughly 1,380 Russian soldiers killed or wounded every day in July. Across the first seven months of 2026, Russian personnel losses reached 238,650, per the General Staff, the running cost of an offensive that has gained little ground.

The monthly toll has climbed almost without pause

The figures show a steady rise throughout the year. Russia's monthly losses ran from about 31,700 in January down to 26,100 in February, then climbed through the spring: roughly 32,000 in March, 33,000 in April, 33,800 in May, 39,300 in June, and 42,860 in July.

After February, the line only goes up. Each month from March onward costs Russia more men than the one before, and July's total is more than a third higher than June's was just two months into that climb.

The losses buy little ground

The rising toll reflects how Russia fights, not how much it gains. Russia has spent 2026 pressing costly infantry-led assaults across the front, trading men for meters near Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, and in the north, and the climbing casualty curve is the price of that method rather than evidence of a breakthrough.

The numbers are the General Staff's own count and cannot be independently verified, and Ukraine reports enemy losses without detailing its own. But the trend they describe, a war growing more lethal for the attacker month by month, matches what independent analysts have tracked through 2026.

The cost is the point

Moscow has bet that it can outlast Ukraine by feeding in more men than Ukraine can, accepting losses that any other army would treat as catastrophic.

Whether that bet holds depends on Russia's ability to keep replacing 40,000 men a month, drawn from recruitment bonuses, prison enlistment, and the quiet mobilization Russia has avoided calling one. July shows the bill still rising.

Russia fired 27 ballistic missiles at Kyiv on 1 August, and Ukraine could stop only one. A massive overnight Russian missile and drone attack on Kyiv killed at least nine people, damaged the Lithuanian embassy, and destroyed part of the city's ambulance fleet, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has run out of interceptors for its Patriot systems. Meanwhile, Russia continues to target Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Poltava oblasts.

The interceptor shortage is now measured in bodies

During the attack, Ukraine's air defenders could engage the drones and the eight non-ballistic missiles, but against 27 ballistic missiles, the weapons, except for the Patriot, could not reliably stop them; they had almost nothing to fire.

"Every package of ballistic missile interceptors saves the lives of our people. Every night without them results in more casualties," Zelenskyy said.

This is the concrete form of a shortage that has run through Ukraine's diplomacy all summer, the 40% ballistic-interception rate in June now fallen closer to zero as stocks run dry.

The strike came days after Zelenskyy met the makers of the Patriot in Washington, where joint production, in the manufacturers' own words, was still in the "early days," and the missiles Ukraine needs tonight still depend on American stocks that are not arriving fast enough.

The strike hit an embassy, a school, and the ambulances

The attack damaged the city's civilian and diplomatic fabric. Russia's attack damaged 18 residential buildings, a school, and critical infrastructure, and the Lithuanian embassy suffered limited damage, though no embassy staff was harmed.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the embassy strike as a violation of international norms.

"Russian terror spares no one and does not respect any international norms, including the Vienna Convention. It can only be stopped through strength and with sufficient air defense," Sybiha said, thanking Lithuania for standing with Ukraine and offering any help needed.

Russia claimed it hit only military targets

Moscow's account of the night bore no relation to the residential buildings and the dead. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed the strike hit "military-industrial complex facilities and logistics centers" in Kyiv and said nothing about the numerous civilian casualties, per its own statement.

Russia wants another 30,000 troops from North Korea and new ballistic-missile launchers as it prepares its options for the fall, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said while discussing Ukrainian intelligence reports on Russia’s plans. The push lands as Russian casualties run ahead of new recruits, and as Kyiv sees preparations for a wider draft rather than any turn toward ending the war.

More North Korean troops and ballistic-missile launchers

Russia wants another 30,000 troops from North Korea, and it has been readying Voronezh Oblast to receive them since June, Zelenskyy said in his evening address on 25 July. Pyongyang is also getting ready to transfer new launchers for ballistic missiles, he said. Militarnyi suggested that the launchers would probably come with ammunition. 

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Kyiv has watched Moscow work to enlarge the Korean force since at least July 2025, when Ukrainian intelligence projected another 25,000–30,000 troops. That was a planned deployment, not a confirmed transfer, andN orth Korea actually sent about 14,000 troops to Russia by January 2026, with more than 6,000 killed, wounded, or missing.

"This is a threat not only to Ukraine. Russia is helping North Korea learn to wage war, improving their weapons — giving them experience of real weapons use," Zelenskyy said. 

Those troops have been building that experience at the front for months. Anyone in Asia within reach of North Korean missiles faces this threat, he said, adding: "We will counter it."

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Losses now outpace recruitment

Ukrainian intelligence has mapped out Russia's autumn plans, and peace is not in them, Zelenskyy said. Putin is laying the groundwork to widen mobilization, he said, citing the country's casualties. Over less than seven months this year, 221,000 people entered the Russian armed forces. Russian losses in that time came to nearly 225,500 — 131,000 killed and nearly 93,000 wounded, many of the wounds severe because Russian frontline medicine is extremely poor, he said.

Moscow's recruiting has fallen behind, and a broader call-up may arrive this autumn.

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Russia's July missile use exceeds some monthly production estimates

In July 2026 it fired 107 ballistic missiles and 20 Zircon missiles by 19 July. Militarnyi compared the ballistic-missile count with estimated combined monthly output of roughly 100 9M723 and RM-48U missiles, although those categories are not fully identical.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry's military intelligence agency (HUR) estimate monthly output at about 60 9M723 missiles for the Iskander-M system and 40 RM-48U missiles fired from S-400 launchers, roughly 100 together. 

For all of 2026, though, Russia plans to produce only 30 Zircon missiles — and the 20 fired by 19 July equaled two-thirds of that planned annual output.

Russia struck two Ukrainian cities hundreds of kilometers apart in daytime attacks on 26 July, hitting a supermarket and residential areas and killing civilians including a child, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and local officials in Chernihiv and Zaporizhzhia. The local authorities reported deaths and more than a dozen wounded. Zelenskyy called the strikes deliberate terror with no military purpose and renewed his push for tougher sanctions on Moscow.

Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that Russian forces keep "defeating" ordinary civilian objects, calling the Chernihiv strike an absolutely cynical drone attack on an ordinary supermarket. Meanwhile, Zaporizhzhia was struck by aerial bombs. 

"They hit people directly, with no military sense at all," he said. "This is deliberate Russian terror that has no military justification whatsoever." 

A drone hit an ATB supermarket in Chernihiv

In the northern city of Chernihiv, a Russian drone struck an ATB supermarket, part of Ukraine’s largest no-frills grocery network, around the middle of the day. City military administration head Dmytro Bryzhynskyi first reported two people killed and three wounded. He later noted that a child was among the dead. As rescuers worked, he reported one victim in serious condition, then said the number of wounded had climbed to seven. 

Later that afternoon, he updated the toll to 13 injured — four men and nine women — with three hospitalized in moderate condition. In a subsequent update, he said 20 people had sought medical care and three were hospitalized.

Chernihiv Oblast administration head Viacheslav Chaus identified the dead child as a 9-year-old girl. He said a 10-year-old boy was among the wounded and that three people were in intensive care. Other strikes in the city damaged cars and vehicle service stations, Chaus added. 

Guided bombs killed a man in Zaporizhzhia

Far to the south, Russian guided aerial bombs hit the city of Zaporizhzhia. Regional administration head Ivan Fedorov reported that the bombs damaged residential and non-residential buildings and an educational institution. One person was killed and six were wounded, according to Fedorov and the regional prosecutor’s office. The man who died was 46. The regional prosecutor's office said a gas station was also damaged.

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Russia destroys a Home Depot-style megastore in Kryvyi Rih—the third one it has erased in the same region since 2024

Hours earlier, Russian drones burned down a home-improvement megastore in Kryvyi Rih, the third such store wrecked in that southern region since 2024.

Ukraine has detained the chief organizer of the defense industry event struck by a Russian ballistic missile in Kyiv Oblast on 24 July, as investigators examine whether security failures contributed to an attack that killed 10 people and injured about 100.

Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko stressed that Russia alone bears responsibility for the strike, calling it another war crime, while saying investigators are also examining circumstances that may have increased the scale of the tragedy.

"Russia committed this war crime," Kravchenko said. "But the investigation is also establishing the circumstances that may have increased the scale of this tragedy."

Investigation focuses on event organization

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, an arms industry association organized the event without approval from the military command or regional and district military administrations.

Investigators say more than 300 people were invited to the outdoor demonstration, which featured Ukrainian air defense technologies and other defense systems. The nearest bomb shelter, measuring just 34 square meters, was located about 100 meters from the venue.

Authorities said invitations were distributed nine days before the event, while the exact location and time were shared with confirmed participants one day before it took place. Investigators are examining whether those arrangements could have enabled Russia to prepare a targeted missile strike.

The event's chief organizer has been detained on suspicion of official negligence resulting in grave consequences. Prosecutors said searches were carried out at the association's office and the homes of individuals involved in organizing the event.

Kravchenko said investigators will also assess whether officials from the National Police, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), military command, state authorities, or local governments failed to respond appropriately to potential security risks.

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Association rejects claims of public disclosure

The ARMADA Association, which organized the demonstration, said it would fully cooperate with investigators but rejected claims that the venue had been publicly advertised.

In a statement, the association said the event was a closed practical demonstration for representatives of Ukraine's defense industry and potential users of anti-aircraft and counter-drone technologies.

It said the exact location was never publicly disclosed and was shared only with registered and vetted participants. The association also disputed online claims that promotional materials circulating on social media were public announcements, saying they were invitations distributed through closed channels.

ARMADA said the demonstration required an open area because participants were testing air defense, electronic warfare, radar, and drone interception systems under realistic conditions.

The association urged the public not to share photographs, videos, participant information, or the exact location while the investigation is ongoing.

Russia's strike killed 10 and injured 100

Russia launched the daytime ballistic missile attack on 24 July, striking the event in Bucha district, Kyiv Oblast. The attack killed 10 people, injured around 100 others, and damaged dozens of nearby homes and vehicles.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched three ballistic missiles during the attack. Air defenses intercepted one, while two struck Bucha district.

Kyiv Oblast observed a day of mourning on 25 July in memory of those killed, with flags lowered across the region and entertainment events restricted.

Russia launched a rare daytime ballistic missile strike on Kyiv Oblast on 24 July, killing at least 10 people and injuring around 100 after two missiles hit a private training ground where representatives of Ukraine's defense industry were gathered, Ukrainian officials said.

The attack came after an overnight drone assault on the Kyiv region and amid repeated warnings from Ukrainian military monitoring channels that Russia had accumulated large numbers of missiles and attack drones in preparation for a new mass strike on Kyiv. 

Beyond the strike on the training ground, the attack damaged 27 private homes and 44 vehicles in Bucha district, according to local authorities.

Two ballistic missiles hit Kyiv Oblast, one intercepted

According to Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, at least 10 people were killed and about 100 injured in the strike. The casualty toll may rise as emergency crews continue working at the scene.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia struck the grounds of a private training facility in Kyiv Oblast where an event was taking place. The Kyiv Oblast Military Administration said the Bucha district suffered the heaviest damage.

Ukraine's Air Force later clarified that Russia launched three Iskander-M or S-400 ballistic missiles from the north at around 11:30 a.m. Air defenses intercepted one missile, while two struck targets in Bucha district. 

Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said the military has long prohibited large public gatherings because of the constant threat of Russian missile strikes, adding that investigators would determine whether security procedures had been properly followed, according to Suspilne.

The Prosecutor General's Office has opened two criminal investigations: one into a Russian war crime and another into possible negligence in organizing the event that may have contributed to the deaths.

Ballistic missiles remain Ukraine's most difficult aerial threat

The daytime strike was unusual. Although Russia has sharply increased its use of ballistic missiles against Kyiv in recent months – now targeting the capital roughly once or twice a week – most of those attacks have been launched overnight. Friday's daylight strike showed that the threat is no longer confined to nighttime raids.

Ballistic missiles are among the most dangerous weapons in Russia's arsenal because they travel at several times the speed of sound, often leaving civilians only a few minutes to seek shelter after an air raid alert, which is simply impossible for most. Unlike slower cruise missiles and drones, they descend on steep trajectories, making them much harder to intercept.

Only a small number of advanced air defense systems, primarily the US-made Patriot, are capable of reliably engaging Russian ballistic missiles such as the Iskander-M and North Korean KN-23 variants. Ukraine has repeatedly warned that it does not have enough Patriot batteries or interceptor missiles to defend every threatened city, forcing commanders to prioritize protection of the most critical areas.

Russia has increasingly exploited those limitations. In recent months, ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv have become a weekly occurrence, causing repeated civilian casualties and widespread destruction despite Kyiv's otherwise-strong air defenses. 

More than 90 drones launched as warnings of larger strike persist

The ballistic attack formed part of a broader day of Russian aerial assaults.

According to the Air Force, Russia launched more than 90 attack drones between 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., over one-third of them jet-powered variants. Ukrainian air defenses reported shooting down or electronically suppressing 81 drones by 4:30 p.m.

The Air Force urged Ukrainians not to ignore air raid alerts, particularly when ballistic missile threats are announced.

For several days, Ukrainian military monitoring channels have warned that Russia has been conserving cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and Shahed drones instead of expending them in routine nightly attacks, raising expectations of another coordinated mass strike.

As of Friday afternoon, those monitoring groups continued to assess that the main wave of the anticipated attack may still lie ahead, with Kyiv remaining among the most likely targets later on 24 July. Ukrainian authorities have not officially confirmed those assessments but continue to urge residents to respond immediately to all air raid alerts.

Zelenskyy orders coordinated response

Later on Friday, Zelenskyy said he had received reports from Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi and senior military officials on the battlefield situation and Ukraine's response to Russia's missile campaign.

The president said Ukrainian authorities had approved a coordinated package of measures involving the Armed Forces, Defense Ministry, intelligence agencies, and other state institutions in response to Russia's continuing attacks on Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine's border and frontline regions, Odesa Oblast, and the country's Black Sea shipping corridor.

"We have a clear list of measures at every level," Zelenskyy said, adding that new decisions are also being prepared to speed delivery of commanders' operational requirements.

Russia struck a foreign-flagged civilian bulk carrier with cruise missiles as it left Odesa loaded with grain, killing much of its crew, Ukraine's Navy said. Fire broke out aboard the ship, and a search-and-rescue operation ran through the night to reach survivors. Ukrainian officials condemned the strike as another deliberate attack on unarmed civilian shipping.

Three cruise missiles hit the ship as it sailed out

Russian forces fired three Kh-59/Kh-69 cruise missiles at the GOLDEN LEO, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged bulk carrier owned by a Turkish company, as it moved out of the combat zone with a cargo of corn on 19 July, Ukraine's Navy reported. The strike hit the starboard side of the superstructure, and a fire broke out on board.

The missiles came in from the sea. Ukraine's Air Force warned of Russian missiles approaching Odesa and Chornomorsk from the Black Sea in the late afternoon, minutes before explosions were heard in the city. The ship took serious damage but did not sink, the Odesa outlet Dumska showed in photos from the scene, as tugs and rescue crews fought to keep it afloat.

The toll climbed to 10 overnight, including a Ukrainian sea pilot

The death toll rose through the night. The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) said 10 people were killed, among them a Ukrainian sea pilot from its Delta-Pilot branch, and that eight crew members were rescued and brought ashore. A sea pilot boards a vessel to guide it safely in and out of port through difficult or dangerous waters.

Eighteen people were on board: crew members from Syria and India, along with the Ukrainian pilot. Eight of the rescued were taken to an Odesa hospital, two of them injured. By Monday, the USPA said the fire aboard the ship had been contained.

Ukraine calls it terror against civilian shipping

The Navy says the strike was an act of terror and a violation of the laws of war. 

"This is another deliberate Russian strike on an unarmed civilian vessel under a foreign flag that posed no military threat," it said. "The attack is an act of terror against peaceful shipping and a gross violation of international humanitarian law."

Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi instructed the Foreign Ministry to immediately inform the states whose citizens were affected and Ukraine's international partners. The government and military command are separately preparing measures meant to strengthen the safety of shipping and shield civilian vessels and sailors from Russian attacks.

The strike lands in a month when Russia has been hammering the Odesa ports that carry the overwhelming share of Ukraine's farm exports. Russian forces have repeatedly gone after foreign-flagged ships moving through the maritime corridor, and used Geran-4 drones against grain carriers at Chornomorsk earlier in July.

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Botswana has become the latest African country to accuse Russia of tricking its citizens into fighting against Ukraine, luring them abroad with fake job offers and then forcing them into combat, Bloomberg reported. The government told its people to treat foreign work offers with suspicion, warning that the scheme is spreading fast. The move echoes alarms raised across the continent as Russia scours Africa for soldiers to feed its war.

Botswana sounds the alarm on a recruitment trap

Botswana's Ministry of International Relations issued the warning in a statement on 18 July. It said a growing number of its nationals are being coerced into Russian military service, and urged everyone to confirm that any overseas job offer is real before accepting it.

The ministry described people drawn out of the country under false pretenses, only to be pushed onto the battlefield once they arrive.

"The number of Batswana being misled into such arrangements is rising at an alarming rate," the ministry said, using the term for Botswana's citizens. It added that it "continues to receive heartbreaking calls from Batswana already on the front line, describing the perilous conditions they face."

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Botswana joins Kenya and South Africa

The warning places Botswana alongside other African states that have traced the same pipeline. In  Kenya and South Africa, prosecutors have already detained and charged suspects accused of funneling recruits into Moscow's ranks.

The European Parliament went further in March, condemning the practice as human trafficking and describing recruits who were deceived, stripped of their documents, and treated as expendable.

The toll is already counted in the dead

The recruitment has a body count. Inpact, the nonprofit behind the All Eyes On Wagner project, reported in February that Russia's war has already claimed at least 316 African lives, with most of the dead sent to the front barely trained.

Kenya, on its own, has put at 1,000 the number of its nationals swept into Moscow's military.

Russia launched the largest ballistic missile attack on Kyiv since the start of its full-scale invasion overnight on 19 July, firing more than 40 missiles at the capital in less than an hour. 

At least one person was killed and 16 others were injured as explosions and falling debris damaged residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure across the city.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 40 missiles of various types overnight, most of them targeting Kyiv, alongside 120 attack drones across Ukraine. He described the assault as "one of the most massive ballistic attacks" on the capital.

Nearly 600 emergency workers were deployed across multiple impact sites as rescuers spent the morning extinguishing fires, searching damaged buildings, and clearing debris.

The attack featured some of Russia's most difficult weapons for Ukraine to intercept. Unlike drones or cruise missiles, ballistic missiles travel at extremely high speeds and require specialized anti-ballistic systems such as the US-made Patriot, which Ukraine has repeatedly said remain in limited supply.

The missiles' extreme speed also sharply reduces warning time for civilians. While drone attacks can often be tracked for hours, ballistic missiles can reach Kyiv within minutes of launch, leaving residents with only a short time to seek shelter after air raid sirens sound.

Kyiv was the main target

The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched a total of 166 aerial weapons overnight, including 41 missiles and 125 drones, with Kyiv identified as the primary target.

The missile barrage included 25 Iskander-M and S-400 ballistic missiles, 10 Zircon hypersonic missiles, three Oniks anti-ship missiles, and three Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missiles. Russia also launched 125 Shahed attack drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles, including decoys and loitering munitions.

Ukraine's air defenses intercepted or suppressed 126 incoming targets, including 18 missiles and 108 drones. According to the Air Force, 23 missiles and 10 attack drones nevertheless struck targets at 20 locations, while debris from intercepted drones fell at another 18 sites.

Civilian neighborhoods damaged across Kyiv

The main part of the ballistic assault unfolded in less than an hour, with successive missile launches striking the capital before emergency responders could fully assess the initial impacts.

The attack damaged residential buildings, offices, warehouses, vehicles, and other civilian infrastructure across at least five districts of Kyiv, including Solomianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Dniprovskyi, Desnianskyi, and Sviatoshynskyi, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS).

One of the hardest-hit locations was the area around Lukianivska metro station in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district, where explosions damaged civilian buildings and sparked multiple fires. The neighborhood was also heavily struck during a Russian missile attack in May, when widespread destruction was recorded around the station.

In Solomianskyi district, firefighters battled blazes in an office building, residential buildings, and other structures. A five-story apartment building sustained significant damage, and later in the day rescuers removed unstable facade sections and balconies to protect residents.

In Shevchenkivskyi district, emergency crews extinguished fires in a three-story building, non-residential facilities, and more than 10 parked vehicles. The attack's only confirmed fatality was recovered there during rescue operations.

Elsewhere, fires broke out in a dormitory, private homes, industrial buildings, and vehicles across the city. By late morning, the DSNS said all fires caused by the attack in Kyiv had been extinguished, although recovery operations continued.

The assault also caused major destruction in Kyiv Oblast. In Bucha district, Russian strikes ignited a massive fire covering about 100,000 square meters across two warehouse buildings. More than 200 firefighters, 73 vehicles, and three helicopters were deployed to contain the blaze.

Zelenskyy urges more air defense support

Zelenskyy said Russia launched around 1,450 attack drones, more than 1,640 guided aerial bombs, and 99 missiles against Ukraine over the past week alone, causing casualties and destruction across numerous regions.

Calling protection against ballistic missiles Ukraine's "constant and highest priority," the president urged partners to accelerate deliveries of Patriot interceptors and other anti-ballistic capabilities, saying each new air defense package "literally saves lives" during Russia's increasingly frequent mass missile attacks.

He also called for continued sanctions pressure on Moscow, warning that delays in new measures give Russia time to prepare further strikes and adapt to existing restrictions.

A Russian missile killed a 16-year-old boy in Odesa. Russian forces struck civilian infrastructure in Odesa Oblast on the evening of 18 July, wounding at least seven other residents, the Odesa Oblast Prosecutor's Office said.

Prosecutors opened a war crimes investigation under Part 2 of Article 438 of Ukraine's Criminal Code.

The evening attack damaged two private houses, buildings at a sports-and-entertainment complex, and eight cars, according to prosecutors.

Russia hit recreation park with families

Beyond the 16-year-old killed, the wounded included a two-year-old child, four women aged 22 to 28, and two men aged 27 and 40, all hospitalized.

Oblast administration head Oleh Kiper reported that a missile hit a recreation park, destroying fishermen's houses, and that people might still be under the rubble as a search-and-rescue operation continued. The casualty figures were still being clarified late on 18 July.

Eyewitnesses posted video of people digging through sand and debris by hand, apparently in the moments right after the missile struck, searching for anyone trapped.

Toll was still being counted late on 18 July

The information from the scene shifted through the evening, as it typically does in the hours after a strike.

Kiper initially reported two people killed and four wounded, including a child, at the recreation park, with people possibly still trapped under the rubble. He said a second location in another settlement saw a residential building and two cars damaged, with one person hurt.

The Security Service of Ukraine's Odesa directorate is conducting the pre-trial investigation and documenting the strikes as war crimes.

Odesa has been under sustained fire for over week

The 18 July strike is the latest in a campaign that has hammered Odesa and its ports throughout July. From 11 to 15 July, Russian strikes hit three Greater Odesa ports and the merchant ships anchored there, cutting the region's grain-export capacity by roughly a third, per Reuters.

The civilian toll has run alongside the economic one. On 16 July, a Russian strike on Odesa killed Olena Arkhipova, a Red Cross first-aid instructor and single mother of three, as she hurried to shelter with her children; the children survived.

Ukrainian citizen Olena Arkhipova has been teaching other people how to keep someone alive since 2023. She was killed on the evening of 16 July, hurrying to a shelter with her three children when a Russian missile struck Odesa. The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) said her children survived and are receiving all necessary care. 

She was one of two people killed in the strike, which hit the Khadzhybeiskyi district and wounded at least eight others, including three children, according to Serhiy Lysak, head of the Odesa City Military Administration. 

Arkhipova raised three children on her own. She joined the Ukrainian Red Cross in 2023 as a first-aid instructor, and in 2026 also became an instructor in first aid for animals.

Arkhipova taught people whose job is to respond

She lived in Odesa and gave herself to helping others. She ran first-aid training for workers of Ukraine's State Emergency Service and the National Police, for adults and children, for anyone who wanted to learn skills that save lives. She was an active volunteer with the Odesa regional branch of the Ukrainian Red Cross.

Colleagues describe a person who came when called

"For colleagues and friends, Olena will forever remain a bright, sincere, responsible person who was always ready to come to the aid of others," the URCS said.

According to the organization, "she taught others to save lives and every day proved by her own example that humanity, care, and not being indifferent are capable of changing the world."

The organization offered condolences to her family, her friends, and the whole volunteer community.

A Russian drone killed a man driving his car in Kharkiv Oblast. The strike hit a Peugeot on the Zolochiv-Maksymivka road near the village of Berezivka in Bohodukhiv raion on the evening of 14 July, killing the 61-year-old driver, the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office said on Telegram. The drone was preliminarily identified as a Molniya.

The precise hit on the moving car suggests that the Molniya was piloted in real-time.

In October 2025, a Russian Molniya drone hit a car in the Kupiansk district, wounding a 37-year-old volunteer, and an FPV drone killed two men in another car in the same raion two hours later. Both were classified as war crimes.

Molniya is cheap, common, and now flies itself

The Molniya is among the cheapest weapons in Russia's arsenal. It is a low-cost kamikaze drone built close to the front, reliable and ubiquitous. Russia launches up to ten a day on the Zaporizhzhia axis alone.

Ukraine shot down an AI-equipped Molniya over Zaporizhzhia for the first time on 9 July. The AI variant has no antenna, no operator link, and no emissions for a detector to catch, making electronic warfare useless against it. Ukraine's answer is kinetic interception. Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov has warned that a fiber-optic Molniya is already in testing, which would emit no radio signal at all.

Russia's terror documented

Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has documented over 11,000 Russian FPV attacks on civilians since 2024, with 2,010 recorded in the first four months of 2026 alone.

The road between Zolochiv and Maksymivka is a public road in a Ukrainian oblast. A man was driving home on it. 

Earlier, a Russian FPV drone killed a 57-year-old hospital worker walking along a road in the same oblast — the last resident of the border village of Tokarivka Druha.

Russia's FPV drone killed the last resident of Tokarivka Druha, a Kharkiv Oblast border village. The 57-year-old woman was walking along the road between the villages of Prudianka and Tsupivka when a Russian FPV drone struck her, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, head of the Derhachi City Military Administration, said. She had multiple shrapnel wounds and died in the hospital despite medics' efforts.

She worked at Derhachi Central Hospital.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has documented over 11,000 Russian FPV-drone attacks on civilians since 2024, with 2,010 recorded in just the first four months of 2026. The current pace will make 2026 exceed 2025's full-year total.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry ruled in May 2025 that Russia's drone hunting of Ukrainian civilians constitutes a crime against humanity, and extended that finding in fall 2025 across more than 300 kilometers of Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv oblasts. Investigators traced the command chain up to the Kremlin.

Kharkiv border zone has been depopulating for months

Kharkiv Oblast border zones are being systematically depopulated. Derhachi is a city in Kharkiv Oblast about 15 kilometers north of Kharkiv. Villages within the 10-kilometer strip along the Russian border have been targeted by artillery, guided bombs, and increasingly FPV drones. Tokarivka Druha now has zero residents.

Ukrainian prosecutors have classified the FPV-drone attacks on civilians as war crimes under international humanitarian law.

Zadorenko named her workplace and the empty village

"The deceased was a worker at Derhachi Central Hospital and the last and only remaining resident of the village of Tokarivka Druha, located in the 10-kilometer border zone. Sincere condolences to the family, loved ones, and colleagues of the deceased," Zadorenko wrote.

Since February 2022, Russia has carried out more than 167,000 attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine—more than 100 a day, every day, for over four years. Civilian casualties in December 2025–May 2026 rose 40% compared to the same period the previous year, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reported in late June. On 1 July, Ukraine put those numbers on the record of the UN General Assembly— and made a specific argument about what they mean.

"Russia systematically uses terrorist methods as an instrument of state policy."  Said Artem Bondarenko, chief of staff of the SBU Anti-Terrorist Center, on the 95th plenary meeting of the 80th General Assembly 

The forum mattered: the 95th plenary was the ninth review of the UN Global Counterterrorism Strategy, a framework adopted by all 193 member states that is explicitly about state policy, not individual commanders. Ukraine was not filing a war crimes complaint. It was arguing that Russia's conduct fits a category the entire international community has already agreed to condemn.

Bondarenko described energy strikes designed to deprive millions of people of heat and water in extreme cold, the recruitment of Ukrainian minors for sabotage through online platforms, and the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant combined with Russia's deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus," an unprecedented environment of nuclear pressure and intimidation affecting the entire European continent," he told the Assembly.

At the same session, Russia took the floor—in the explanation-of-vote phase, before Ukraine's speech in the general debate. Its delegate said Moscow was "prepared to have mutually respectful cooperation with all states who really are interested in an effective, uncompromising fight against terrorism," and named as a priority the need "to protect civilian objects, in particular energy facilities." Russia was not acknowledging a contradiction. It was claiming the same language, inside the same framework, as a co-author of international counterterrorism norms.

Earlier that morning, the United States had voted against the resolution that Ukraine welcomed. The US delegation called it "not fit for purpose"—"bloated, outdated, and lacking focus." The resolution passed 140–3. It is non-binding.

The General Assembly cannot enforce. The Security Council can—but Russia holds a veto. What Ukraine is building is a legal and political record: testimony, ICC arrest warrants already issued against two Russian commanders for energy strikes, UN human rights findings that those strikes "appear to have violated fundamental principles of international humanitarian law." The record feeds proceedings that may take years. On 1 July, the room where that record was made included the country that filled it.

Rescuers pulled another body from the wreckage of a residential building in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district on 7 July, raising the confirmed death toll from Russia's overnight strike to 19, the State Emergency Service (SES) reported. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, the agency said.

Moscow attacks Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles daily, targeting primarily residential buildings and civilian infrastructure and killing civilians across the country in strikes Ukraine and international bodies qualify as war crimes. Last night's assault was the second massive missile attack in days.

Russia launched a combined overnight strike on 6 July using drones and air-, ground-, and sea-launched missiles of various types, including Zircons, Iskanders, and Kalibrs. The attack involved 68 missiles and 351 attack drones—419 targets in total.

Ukraine's air defenses shot down or suppressed 363 of the 419 targets. Twenty-nine ballistic missiles and 18 attack drones struck 34 locations.

Rising toll in the capital

The death toll in Kyiv had earlier climbed to 18, with at least 56 people injured, before rescuers found the additional body in Darnytskyi district. Kyiv and Kyiv oblast were both targeted in the strike.

Separately, the death toll from the overnight attack on Kyiv oblast rose to eight, with 48 people injured, according to earlier reporting. A difficult situation developed in Vyshneve, in Kyiv oblast, Ukrainska Pravda reported, without providing further detail on casualties there.

Day of mourning and rerouted trains

Klitschko announced that 7 July would be a Day of Mourning in Kyiv. Flags on all municipal buildings drop to half-mast, and the city banned entertainment events. The search operation in Podilskyi district continued.

National railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said the State Emergency Service restricted train movement on some Kyiv Oblast sections for safety reasons. Five long-distance trains switched to backup detour routes with all key stops preserved but delays expected. Suburban traffic in the Fastiv direction also suffered, so shuttle buses now link Boiarka with Kyiv.

Russian attacks on two towns in Donetsk Oblast left five people dead and another injured on July 6, Governor Vadim Filashkin reported.

Russia attacked the front-line towns of Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka.

In Kostiantynivka, Russian airstrikes and missile attacks killed four people and injured another person, Filashkin said. The heavy attacks also damaged 14 homes, four high-rise buildings, an administrative building, a car, and five power lines.

In Druzhkivka, a Russian first-person-view (FPV) drone killed one person and damaged equipement.

Filashkin warned that both Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka are "under constant enemy fire" and urged residents to relocate.

"It is dangerous to stay here! Evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine!" Filashkin wrote on Telegram after the attack.

In late June, Filashkin reported that Kostiantynivka, in eastern Donetsk Oblast, faces an imminent "humanitarian catastrophe." The town lies just 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) from several areas currently occupied by Russian forces, according to battlefield mapping site DeepState.

Kostiantynivka has come under intensified attack in recent months as Moscow pushes westward beyond its gains around other nearby towns.

Ukraine’s army chief warns of new Russian offensives in northeast as he visits Kharkiv Oblast front

Russian troops are ramping up attacks in the sector using large numbers of troops, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

A woman injured in Russia’s July 3 attack on Poltava has died in the hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities to three, the local military administration reported on July 6.

The attack injured 59 people, sparked fires, and damaged civilian infrastructure.

"Doctors fought for her life to the last. Our sincere condolences to her family and friends!" Poltava Oblast Governor Volodymyr Kohut wrote on Telegram.

One of Russia's July 3 strikes caused a fire at the Poltava military enlistment office. A separate strike nearby set fire to a private residential property, the authorities said.

Vitalii Sarantsev, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Ground Forces, said on national television that the attack on the enlistment office in Poltava was deliberate and that such strikes are intended to disrupt mobilization in Ukraine.

This wasn't the first time Russia has been linked to such attacks. Back in February, Moscow recruited the man who carried out a deadly bombing at a military enlistment office in the city of Rivne in northwestern Ukraine.

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China’s state TV broadcaster has revealed details of a new “graphite bomb” that can cause a “complete loss of electricity” across an area of 10,000 square meters, or knock out entire power stations, the South China Morning Post reported on June 29. An animated video released by China’s CCTV showed a missile being launched from a ground-based launcher and then flying to a target where it releases 90 small submunitions. They then bounce on the ground before exploding amid a mock-up of an electri

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Editor's note: The story was updated with the latest reports from Mykolaiv and Sumy.

Russian attacks against Ukraine have killed at least six civilians and injured at least 25 others over the past day, regional authorities reported on July 6.

Russian forces launched four S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Russia's Kursk Oblast and 157 Shahed drones from Russia's Shatalovo, Millerovo, and Primorsk-Akhtarsk airfields, as well as from Russian-occupied Crimea, against Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

Ukraine's air defense shot down 98 drones, while another 19 disappeared from radar without causing any damage, according to the statement. Drones that disappear from radar before reaching their targets are often decoys that Russia launches alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces attacked 13 settlements, killing two people and injuring 11 others, Governor Oleg Syniehubov reported.

An 8-year-old boy was killed, while a 3-year-old boy, a 40-year-old man, and a 36-year-old woman suffered injuries in the village of Odnorobivka.

In the town of Kupiansk, a 59-year-old man was killed, while a 56-year-old man, a 57-year-old woman, and two women aged 65 were injured due to the Russian strikes.

In Kharkiv, the regional capital, a 46-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl suffered injuries.

The casualties were also reported in the villages of Prykolotne and Shyroke, where a 66-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were injured.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces killed a person in the town of Myrnohrad, and another person was killed in the village of Andriivka, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

In Andriivka, two people suffered injuries. Two more people were injured in the town of Siversk, and another one in the city of Pokrovsk.

In Kherson Oblast, Russia targeted 32 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson, over the past day. As a result of the attacks, two people were killed and three others were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, Russian drones attacked the port infrastructure in the regional center of Mykolaiv, damaging the power grid and warehouses.

A 31-year-old woman was injured and hospitalized, while a 35-year-old man, who also suffered injuries in the attack, was treated at the scene, according to Governor Vitalii Kim.

In Sumy Oblast, a Russian FPV drone attacked the Khotyn community, hitting a car and injuring a 49-year-old man, the local military administration reported. He was hospitalized.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a 39-year-old woman was injured in the attack against the Nikopol district. Russia targeted the area with FPV (first-person-view) drones and artillery, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian strikes injured an 89-year-old woman in the village of Yurkivka, the local military administration reported.

In Kyiv Oblast, Russia attacked the Vyshhorod district, injuring a 35-year-old man. He suffered shrapnel wounds, the local military administration reported.

In Poltava Oblast, Russian drones struck the city of Kremenchuk, hitting an enlistment office and a neighboring house. The attack caused a fire, but no casualties were reported, according to the local military administration.

Ukraine's Emergency Service also reported that Russia had carried out double-tap attacks in the cities of Kharkiv and Kherson when rescuers arrived at the impact sites. As a result of the attacks, tanker trucks were damaged, but no rescuers were injured.

Ukraine’s army chief warns of new Russian offensives in northeast as he visits Kharkiv Oblast front

Russian troops are ramping up attacks in the sector using large numbers of troops, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Life for children in Ukraine has become increasingly dangerous and deadly, according to the latest U.N. figures, which show a threefold jump in the number of deaths and injuries among children over the three months ending in May.

From March through May, 222 children were killed or injured, compared to 73 in the preceding three months, according to a press release from the U.N. Humanitarian Aid Organization for Children (UNICEF) on July 4.

The statement noted that "the ongoing use of explosive weapons in populated areas has been particularly deadly and destructive."

"There is no respite from the war for children across Ukraine," UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis, said. "The situation for children is at a critical juncture, as intense attacks continue to not only destroy lives but disrupt every aspect of childhood."

In April alone, UNICEF noted, 97 children were killed or maimed, which was the highest figure that the U.N. has been able to verify since June 2022. Among the attacks in April was a strike on a playground in Kryvyi Rih, which killed nine children.

Recent months have seen some of the war's deadliest attacks on civilians, as Russia steps up its aerial strikes on civilian areas and launches record numbers of drones. Russia has dramatically increased its production of these weapons and is now capable of launching in a single night as many drones as it did over an entire month in early summer 2024.

At the same time, the U.S has halted a shipment of weapons that includes air defense missiles, which Ukraine critically needs to defend itself from Russia's attacks.

‘Nothing but terror and murder’ — Russia pounds Kyiv with ballistic missiles in massive overnight attack

Fires broke out across the city as Russia attacked the capital overnight on July 4. At least 23 people have been injured, with 14 of the victims hospitalized.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

At least three people were killed and 34 injured across Ukraine in Russian drone and missile attacks, Ukrainian regional officials reported on July 3.

Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia used 52 drones launched from several directions, including Oryol, Millerovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk. Air defenses destroyed 40 of them, including 22 shot down and 18 jammed electronically.

In Donetsk Oblast, three people were killed and at least nine injured in multiple settlements, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Damage was reported to residential buildings, cars, and utility infrastructure across Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka, and other towns.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces shelled over 30 towns and villages, wounding nine civilians, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Strikes hit both residential neighborhoods and critical infrastructure. One person was hospitalized in Kherson city after being hit by a drone.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, seven civilians were injured, including a 17-year-old girl, as Russia used artillery and drones to strike Nikopol and Synelnykove districts, Governor Serhii Lysak said. Fires broke out in wheat fields, and residential buildings and infrastructure were damaged.

In Odesa, five people were injured, including two children aged 7 and 9, in a Russian drone strike on a residential building, Governor Oleh Kiper reported. Several apartments were destroyed or damaged.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was injured and nine settlements were struck over 430 times in the past 24 hours, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. The attacks included airstrikes, FPV drones, and artillery, causing damage to houses and infrastructure.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two people were injured in separate strikes, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Civilian infrastructure was damaged in multiple areas, including houses and vehicles.

Russia increasingly targets Ukraine’s cities with cluster munitions, raising civilian toll

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The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Two people have been killed and 80 others injured after explosions rang out beside a highway near the city of Zhytomyr, local officials reported.

The cause of the explosions was not immediately clear and is under investigation, Ukraine's National Police said.

Zhytomyr City Council reported that the explosions occurred unspecified facility located close to the M-06 highway near Zhytomyr. Serhii Sokalskyi, head of the Hlubochytska community in Zhytomyr Oblast, claimed that the explosions may have rang out at an industrial warehouse near the town of Berezyna — although those details have yet to be confirmed.

Vitaliy Bunechko, head of the Zhytomyr Oblast Military Administration, said that multiple homes and powerlines had been damaged in the explosions, while also confirming the closure of the highway as the investigation carries on.

Videos of the explosions posted to social media show large clouds of smoke billowing out of the area of the explosions.

No information was provided on the status of the injured victims. Emergency responders are currently on-scene.

Located about 140 km west of Kyiv, Zhytomyr has become an occasional target of Russian missile and drone attacks. In recent months, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian cities, using upwards of 500 drones in attacks.

Despite the increase in attacks, support from Ukraine's largest defense partner, the United States, has continued to wane. Politico reported on July 1, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the U.S. Defense Department (DOD) has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and other weapons previously promised to Kyiv out of concerns over the size of U.S. stockpiles.

Ukraine war latest: As Russia ramps up missile attacks, US halts promised air defense shipments to Ukraine

Key developments on July 2: * As Russia ramps up missile attacks, US halts promised air defense shipments to Ukraine * North Korea to send up to 30,000 more troops to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine, CNN reports * Ukraine denies another Russian claim of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast breakthrough, says small incursion repelled

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

At least two civilians were killed and 33 were injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past 24 hours, according to local governors.

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 114 Shahed-type and decoy drones overnight from multiple directions, as well as four S-300 missiles. Air defenses shot down 40 drones, while 39 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces shelled a hospital in Kherson city late on July 1, injuring eight people, including patients and medical staff, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Two other people were injured elsewhere in the region over the past day. Attacks damaged residential buildings, a farm, a business, and vehicles across more than 30 settlements.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured in attacks on Kharkiv city and six other communities, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. Russian forces used guided aerial bombs, various drones, and artillery. Civilian infrastructure, including houses, a transport stop, an emergency medical facility, and businesses, was damaged or destroyed.

In Donetsk Oblast, two civilians were killed and 10 others injured by Russian attacks on July 1, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. In the city of Sloviansk, a mail terminal operated by Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s largest postal service, was destroyed. No employees were injured, according to an official statement.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, five people were injured, four of whom were hospitalized, after a drone strike on Nikopol, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

Russian attacks damaged a private enterprise in Kryvyi Rih and a farm in the Samar district. Fires were reported in both locations. Drone and artillery strikes also hit residential and infrastructure targets in Nikopol and Pokrovske communities.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, four civilians were injured in Russian attacks on Vasylivka and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Over the day, Russian forces launched 376 strikes across 14 settlements, using aircraft, drones, multiple rocket launchers, and artillery.

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The Kyiv IndependentOleksiy Sorokin

The Russian army attacked an evacuation vehicle carrying three wounded civilians, which resulted in the death of one of them, Ukraine's National Police reported on July 1.

Russia has for months focused its offensive efforts on the embattled town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and has recently been escalating attempts to break through to neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a region that has not yet seen combat.

According to the police, Russian forces attacked the evacuation vehicles provided by chaplains three times: at the entrance to the city, in the city center, and during the evacuation of civilians from Pokrovsk. The police called Russia's actions "targeted hunting."

The police picked up one injured person in the city, and the other two — on the way to the hospital. In the meantime, the Russian army hit the car with a Molniya drone. As a result of the attack, one of the police officers was injured.

As the evacuation vehicle came under fire, one of the injured could not be brought to the hospital in time and died of blood loss.

"We called for reinforcements and sent the injured civilian with them, hoping for a miracle. But it did not happen, Russia took another life," Hennadii Yudin, head of the "White Angel" police unit, said.

Another injured man, who was evacuated with a shrapnel wound, is undergoing treatment, the police said.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on June 27 that Russia has amassed "about 111,000 personnel" in the Pokrovsk sector, but Ukrainian forces are holding the line.

Syrskyi's statement came as Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed Moscow is "ready" for a third round of peace talks with Kyiv.

Russia's so-called "peace memorandum" demands that Ukraine recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea, as well as Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts — none of which are fully under Moscow's control.

As Russia inches closer to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, new Ukrainian region might soon be at war

Moscow said its troops had crossed into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and were conducting offensive operations in the region, a claim Kyiv quickly denied as “Russian disinformation.” Russian troops have been pushing toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast for months, trying to solidify the southern flank to capture Pokrovsk and the remaining parts of the

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. The article contains graphic footage.

A Russian missile attack against the village of Huliaipole in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on July 1 resulted in deaths and injuries, the Southern Defense Forces reported.

"As a result of the strike, a cultural center, two shops, and several private homes were destroyed or damaged," the statement read.

Russia launched two ballistic missiles, likely Iskander-M, against the village at 9:15 a.m. local time, the military reported.

The strike was reported earlier on July 1 by Serhii Lysak, the regional governor. No exact casualty figures have been provided so far, and officials promised detailed information at a later date.

Huliaipole, with a pre-war population of around 1,200, lies in the western part of eastern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, roughly 70 kilometers (40 miles) from the front line.

"Russia once again confirms its status as a terrorist state. It kills innocent civilians," the military said in a statement.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is regularly targeted by Russian drone and missile attacks. Moscow's ground troops have also been attempting to break into the region, though Kyiv has denied Russian claims that they had been successful.

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The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russian strikes across Ukrainian regions killed at least four civilians and injured at least 15 over the past day, regional authorities reported on July 1.

Russia launched 47 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force reported. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 14 drones, while 33 were intercepted by electronic warfare or disappeared from radars, according to the statement.  

Russian attacks injured three civilians in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two women aged 60 and 81 were injured during a Russian attack on the Tsykruny village, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Russian attacks across Kherson Oblast killed two people and injured five, said the regional governor, Oleksandr Prokudin. Three high-rise buildings and eight houses were damaged.

In Mykolaiv Oblast, a 45-year-old man was killed and a 37-year-old woman was injured during Russian shelling of the Kutsurub community on June 30, Governor Vitalii Kim reported. Houses, two schools, and a shop were damaged, and a fire erupted because of the attack.

A 75-year-old man was killed and his 76-year-old wife was injured during another artillery attack against the community on the morning of July 1, Kim said.

Two civilians were injured in Russian attacks against Sumy Oblast, the regional military administration reported.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a 56-year-old man was wounded when Russia attacked the Polohy district, according to Governor Ivan Fedorov.

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The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Russian attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions over the past 24 hours have killed at least six people and injured 26 others, according to local officials. The strikes involved drones, artillery, and guided bombs, hitting residential areas and critical infrastructure.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Ukrainian air defense hit 74 out of 107 drones launched overnight by Russia.

In Kharkiv Oblast, two people were killed and eight injured following attacks on six settlements, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Damage was reported to houses, vehicles, and civilian infrastructure across Kharkiv, Kupiansk, and Chuhuiv districts.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces struck residential areas and civilian infrastructure in over two dozen localities, killing two people and injuring eight others, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Damage included houses, utility systems, and communications infrastructure.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was killed in Vasylivka district. Governor Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces launched 375 strikes on 10 settlements, damaging houses and vehicles.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, three people were injured in Kryvyi Rih following drone strikes and artillery attacks, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. Fires broke out, and damage was recorded at a farm and in residential areas.

In Donetsk Oblast, at least one person was killed and four others injured, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. Multiple residential buildings, a church, and a pharmacy were damaged across Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut districts.

In Sumy Oblast, Russian attacks injured three civilians, regional authorities said. Nearly 80 strikes targeted 29 settlements, damaging houses, educational institutions, and public buildings.

Russia reportedly closes Crimean Bridge amid explosions in Kerch

Witnesses reported hearing multiple blasts and observing Russian air defense systems in action.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Editor's Note: This is a developing story.

Russia attacked the southern city of Odesa overnight on June 28, killing two people and injuring at least 14 others, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.

The drone attack hit a 21-story building, causing a fire on the 7th, 8th, and 9th floors that left residents trapped in their apartments. First responders rescued five people, including a small child.

Two people, a married couple, were killed in the attack, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported. Emergency workers recovered their bodies from the damaged building.

At least 14 other civilians were injured, including three children. Both are receiving treatment in medical facilities, Kiper said.

Ongoing air raid alarms throughout the night complicated rescue efforts, the State Emergency Service said.

Odesa, a port city on Ukraine's Black Sea coast with a population of around 1 million, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks since the full-scale invasion. A massive Russian drone strike on June 20 killed one civilian and injured 14 others, including three first responders.

Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities have intensified dramatically in May and June.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia

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The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A Russian missile strike on the city of Samar in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on June 27 killed five people and injured at least 25 others, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

In a statement posted to Telegram, Lysak said most of the injured were hospitalized. Four of the victims are in serious condition, while the others sustained moderate injuries. A fire broke out following the strike, and emergency services are continuing to work at the site.

"We're doing everything possible to assist those affected," Lysak said.

The attack comes just days after Russia launched one of the deadliest assaults on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. On June 24, missiles struck multiple locations in the regional capital of Dnipro and in the oblast, killing at least 21 people and injuring over 300 others.

The strike hit civilian infrastructure, a dormitory, a gymnasium, and a train traveling from Odesa to Zaporizhzhia, as well as the nearby town of Samarske. Two people were killed and 14 others wounded there. At least 100 victims of the Dnipro attack remain hospitalized, Lysak said.

Ukrainian drones strike Russian S-400 air defense system in occupied Crimea, HUR says

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The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

At least two civilians were killed and 13 were injured in Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine over the past day, local officials reported on June 27.

According to Ukraine's Air Force, Ukrainian air defense intercepted 365 of 371 incoming Russian air weapons, including 363 Shahed-type drones, two Kinzhal ballistic missiles, and six Kalibr cruise missiles.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said one person was killed and four were wounded in Vovchanski Khutory and Pidlyman during a Russian attack. Infrastructure damage included houses and an agricultural facility. The region also endured heavy shelling.

In Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported one death, while three people were injured across Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut districts. Damage was observed to houses, a farm, administrative buildings, gas pipelines, and vehicles.

In Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said four people were injured as Russian drones and artillery struck social and residential infrastructure. Seven apartment buildings and 25 houses were damaged, along with utilities and vehicles.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov said one person was injured when an air-dropped bomb hit a settlement in the Huliaipole district.

In Kyiv Oblast, a person was injured near Fastiv during an overnight drone and missile attack. One house was damaged each in Boryspil and Fastiv districts, while a tire repair shop and five cars were hit in Bila Tserkva. No critical infrastructure was reportedly affected, and air defense forces shot down Russian drones and missiles.

Putin under pressure to declare war on Ukraine, but experts say Russia isn’t ready

Despite suffering over 1 million casualties, pounding Ukrainian cities nightly with missiles and drones, and committing countless war crimes, one startling fact about Russia’s full-scale invasion remains — Moscow has yet to officially declare war on Ukraine. In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin described what he believed was going to be a swift victory and the capture of Kyiv within days as a “special military operation.” Nearly three-and-a-half years later, the Kremlin is stuck

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Short-range drone attacks have become one of the deadliest threats to civilians in Ukraine’s front-line regions, killing at least 395 people and injuring 2,635 between February 2022 and April 2025, according to a new bulletin by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

The report, "Deadly Drones: Civilians at Risk from Short-Range Drones in Frontline Areas of Ukraine," highlights the growing use of first-person-view (FPV) drones by Russian forces and their devastating impact on the civilian population.

The bulletin documents attacks in which drone operators deliberately targeted civilians engaging in daily activities — driving private cars, riding bicycles, walking outdoors, or evacuating others in clearly marked ambulances.

"Although individually less destructive than artillery or missiles, the sheer scale and increasing frequency of short-range drone attacks have made them one of the deadliest weapons in Ukraine," said Danielle Bell, head of the mission. "Over 3,000 civilian casualties — and the relentless frequency of these attacks — have not only caused immense human suffering but also instilled fear, severely disrupted daily life, and crippled access to essential services in several frontline communities."

The monitoring mission documented, verified, and analyzed 3,030 civilian casualties resulting from short-range drones between 24 February 2022 and 30 April 2025. The researchers conducted site visits to very high-risk areas, including the southern city of Kherson, Zolochiv in Kharkiv Oblast, and other front-line locations. Investigators interviewed survivors and witnesses of drone attacks, medical personnel, and humanitarian workers to assess the full impact of these strikes on civilian life.

Casualties surged in late 2023 and early 2024, with numbers suddenly doubling in July 2024. April 2025 marked the deadliest month on record, with 42 civilians killed and 283 injured. Drone strikes continued into May and June.

On 23 June, a 65-year-old driver was killed in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, when a drone struck a minibus. In Kharkiv region, a 58-year-old volunteer was killed on 22 May when a drone dropped a munition on a residential balcony. On 20 May, six civilians were injured when a drone hit a bus in Kherson Oblast.

The vast majority of casualties — 89% — occurred in territory controlled by the Ukrainian government. The UN says these attacks violate international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and precaution, and may in some cases constitute war crimes.

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Editor’s note: This article originated as a winning story idea in a vote by members of the Kyiv Independent’s community. Join our community today and join our exclusive members-only Discord channel, where you can discuss and suggest stories, ask our journalists questions, and more. “Her strength is her

The Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak

Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 23 people and injured more than 300 others over the past 24 hours, local officials said on June 25.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces launched 71 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys from multiple directions, including Bryansk, Millerovo, Kursk, and occupied Crimea. Ukraine's air defenses destroyed 52 of them.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a ballistic missile attack killed at least 20 people, 18 in Dnipro and two in the Samarskyi district, in one of the deadliest single attacks in recent weeks, governor Serhii Lysak said.

Nearly 300 people were injured, and extensive damage was reported to high-rise buildings, houses, dormitories, cars, schools, hospitals, administrative offices, and a passenger train. Drone strikes overnight also hit Nikopol and caused a fire in Synelnykove district.

In Kharkiv Oblast, nine people were injured in strikes on Kharkiv city, Kupiansk, and surrounding villages, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Russian forces used a mix of weaponry, including air-launched rockets, glide bombs, and various drones. Civilian infrastructure was damaged, including residential buildings, houses, and an industrial hangar.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, five peope were injured in attacks across the Zaporizhzhia, Vasylivka, and Polohy districts, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Russian forces conducted four missile strikes on Zaporizhzhia and eight airstrikes on several towns. Around 300 drones, and over 150 artillery strikes were recorded across 13 settlements.

In Donetsk Oblast, three civilians were killed in Pokrovsk, Zoloti Prudy, and Novoiavlenka, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. 11 more were wounded in the region over the past day.

Russia has launched over 28,000 Shahed drones at Ukraine since 2022, with nearly 10% fired in June alone, Zelensky says

Speaking on June 24, Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Russia would never have been able to carry out such drone attacks without support from Iran, and Ukraine, in turn, could not have intercepted most of the drones without the help of its international partners.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia launched a deadly missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on June 24, striking civilian infrastructure and a passenger train, killing at least 17 people and injuring scores of others, local officials reported.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said the morning strike ignited a large fire and also damaged a dormitory, a gymnasium, and an administrative building in the city.

The Russian military also struck the nearby town of Samarske, Lysak said. Casualties were reported in both locations.

"Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded everywhere," he said.

In Samarske, two people were killed, and 14 injured. Eight were hospitalized, with half of them in critical condition.

"As of now, more than 160 people are known to have been injured. Unfortunately, 11 people have died," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on social media, adding: "The rubble is still being cleared, so the death toll may, unfortunately, increase."

Around 8:30 p.m. local time, the death toll rose to 17, while the number of wounded increased to 279, including 27 children, Lysak reported.

Almost a hundred of the victims remain in hospital, according to Lysak.

Ukraine's national railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, said that a train traveling from Odesa to Zaporizhzhia was damaged in the attack.

"Ukrzaliznytsia is preparing a replacement train in Dnipro to evacuate passengers to Zaporizhzhia," the company said in a statement.

In an update, Ukrzaliznytsia said no passengers or railway workers were killed in the attack, though several people sustained injuries and are receiving medical care.

The attack came as NATO leaders convened for a high-level summit in The Hague. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on June 23 that Russia remains the alliance's most immediate and long-term threat.

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The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast killed four people and injured five others between June 23 and 24, local officials reported.

Russian forces launched drone and artillery strikes on dozens of settlements across the region, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram.

Twenty-nine settlements were affected, including the regional capital, Kherson, which shares the same name as the oblast.

The strikes damaged critical infrastructure and residential areas, including four private houses. A shop and several private vehicles were also reportedly damaged.

Kherson Oblast, located in southern Ukraine just north of Russian-occupied Crimea, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion.

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The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko