Key facts
- Ukraine launched drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and an air base.
- Russia unleashed ballistic missiles on Kyiv.
- Ukrainian drone attacks targeted refineries in Bashkortostan and Saratov.
- The Engels air base was targeted by Ukrainian drones.
- Russia deployed over 8,300 glide bombs on Ukraine in July.
- July's glide bomb deployment was a record monthly figure since the full-scale invasion.
- Ukrainian drone attacks near Moscow killed at least five people.
- Russian strikes in Ukraine caused at least five civilian deaths.
- A Russian FPV drone attacked and wounded a vendor in Kherson.
- Ukraine's Foreign Minister accused Russia of a war crime for the Kherson drone attack.
- President Zelensky condemned the Kherson drone attack as a 'human safari'.
Ukraine has launched drone attacks targeting key Russian infrastructure, including oil refineries in Bashkortostan and Saratov, and the Engels air base. These actions occurred while Russia unleashed ballistic missiles on Kyiv. Both nations are increasingly employing long-range drones in the ongoing conflict. In July alone, Russian forces deployed a record 8,300 glide bombs on Ukraine, a significant escalation in their use of these often inaccurate but devastating weapons, which have contributed to rising civilian casualties.
Recent drone strikes have resulted in significant casualties on both sides. Reports indicate that Ukrainian drone attacks near Moscow killed at least five people. Concurrently, Russian strikes within Ukraine have also caused at least five civilian deaths. One specific incident in Kherson, where a Russian FPV drone targeted and wounded a 52-year-old vendor, has been condemned by Ukraine's Foreign Minister as a war crime. President Zelensky described the attack as a "human safari."
The increased reliance on long-range drones by both Ukraine and Russia signifies a shift in tactics, with both sides seeking to strike at strategic and civilian targets deep within enemy territory. The use of glide bombs, in particular, highlights a tactic that, while potentially less precise, has a wide-ranging and destructive impact, contributing to the growing toll of civilian deaths and injuries.