Russia attacks Ukraine with record 728 drones and missiles

Lailuma Sadid
Credit: REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy

Kyiv (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Russia launched a record 728 drones and 13 missiles against Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s air force on Wednesday. Ukrainian air defence systems managed to destroy 718 drones and seven missiles.

Russia launched a record 728 drones into Ukraine overnight, according to Ukrainian air forces. Defence systems intercepted 718 drones and seven missiles, the air force reported on Telegram. This appears to be one of Moscow’s most significant attacks on Ukraine in the three-year conflict.

The western city of Lutsk came under fire, according to local media. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that Russian drones were attacking the city centre and air defences were shooting down targets.

How effective was Ukraine’s air defence response?

As reported by the Interfax news agency, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports that Ukraine’s air defence units intercepted 718 out of 741 Russian air attack vehicles. “According to preliminary data, as of 8:30, air defence neutralised 718 enemy air attack vehicles, 303 were shot down by fire weapons, 415 were lost by location,” the message says.

Approximately 296 enemy Shahed UAVs (and other UAV types) were intercepted by fire weapons, 415 were neutralised through location or electronic warfare, and seven Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles were destroyed. The latest air attack was thwarted by units of aviation, anti-aircraft missile defence, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defence Forces.

On the night of July 9, starting at 20:00 on July 8, Russia launched an attack with a total of 741 air attack vehicles. Specifically, 728 Shahed attack UAVs and various simulator drones came from directions including Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk, Orel, and Millerovo in Russia.

Seven Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles were launched from the Engels districts in the Saratov region and Russia’s Kursk region. Additionally, six Kh-47M2 Dagger (Kinzhal) aeroballistic missiles were fired from the airspace of Russia’s Lipetsk region.

How does this compare to the July 3–4 assault?

Just days earlier, on July 3-4, Russia had set a prior record with an unprecedented 539 drones and 11 missiles in yet another massive, mostly Kyiv-focused attack. This last attack that day left at least one woman dead and more than 26 injured, destroying numerous apartments, a railway company, schools, and embassies. The assaults caused cities to have extensive power outages and fires and sent civilians underground into metro stations as a shelter. 

About Us

Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.
Share This Article
Lailuma Sadid is a former diplomat in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Embassy to the kingdom of Belgium, in charge of NATO. She attended the NATO Training courses and speakers for the events at NATO H-Q in Brussels, and also in Nederland, Germany, Estonia, and Azerbaijan. Sadid has is a former Political Reporter for Pajhwok News Agency, covering the London, Conference in 2006 and Lisbon summit in 2010.
The Brussels Morning Newspaper Logo

Subscribe for Latest Updates