Key facts
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for greater international pressure on Russia over its attacks on civilian areas.
- Russia has intensified its missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, including significant bombardments of Kyiv.
- The UN reported a sharp increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties in July.
- Ukraine claims to be responding with long-range strikes on Russian infrastructure, including a naval base in Novorossiysk.
- Recent Russian attacks have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries, including in a Kyiv residential building.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday criticized the international community for its insufficient response to Russia's escalating bombardment of civilian areas in Ukraine. He called for increased pressure on Moscow, stating that Russia should not believe it can continue its missile and drone attacks without consequences.
Recent Russian attacks have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries. Overnight strikes killed at least two people and wounded seven, with four wounded in a Kyiv residential building damaged by a drone. Olha Smal, a resident of the building, described the impact of the blast wave and fire.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed responsibility for hitting a drone factory warehouse in Kyiv, as well as logistical facilities in Mykolaiv and an electric substation. The ministry also stated that Russian forces struck a ship heading to Odesa and logistical facilities at a border crossing, which Ukrainian authorities reported killed two people.
Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is retaliating with daily long-range attacks on Russian infrastructure, including a recent strike on a naval base and oil loading terminal in Novorossiysk. The governor of Krasnodar region reported four deaths and 29 injuries from the Novorossiysk drone attack. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 596 Ukrainian drones.
The United Nations reported that July saw more Ukrainian civilian casualties than any month since March 2022, with 437 killed and over 2,600 wounded. Since the invasion began, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has recorded over 16,800 civilian deaths and more than 51,000 wounded.
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