Key facts
- Explosions and air defense activity occurred in Kyiv on the evening of July 1.
- Ukraine's Air Force warned of Russian drones targeting Kyiv and other cities.
- President Zelensky warned of Russia's preparation for another mass air strike.
- A glide bomb attack in Kharkiv resulted in one death and 32 injuries.
- Russia has vowed retaliation for recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow.
Explosions were heard in Kyiv on the evening of July 1, following President Volodymyr Zelensky's warning that Russia was preparing for another large-scale attack. Kyiv Independent journalists reported loud explosions and air defense activity around 9:40 p.m. local time. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, alerted residents to ongoing drone engagements on the city's outskirts and the possibility of a combined attack in the coming days. Earlier, Ukraine's Air Force had issued a warning about groups of Russian drones heading towards Kyiv and other cities, including Mykolaiv, Konotop, and Kherson. Zelensky, speaking alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, indicated that intelligence suggested preparations for another mass Russian air strike, noting that such large-scale attacks were occurring once or twice weekly. The day also saw constant Russian strikes across Ukraine, including a glide bomb attack on Kharkiv that killed a 15-year-old boy and injured 32 civilians. These events follow Russia's pledge of retribution for Ukraine's drone strikes on Moscow in June, which targeted the Moscow Oil Refinery and exacerbated fuel shortages. The attacks on Moscow and Ukraine's operations against Russian logistics in Crimea have reportedly undermined President Vladimir Putin's claims of battlefield victory. Russia's recent attacks have also impacted cultural heritage sites, including damage to the National Art Museum, government buildings, the Kyiv Opera Theater, and the Chornobyl Museum in a May 24 attack, and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra in a June 15 missile strike.