Kyiv, July 9 (AP) – In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia launched an unprecedented overnight assault on Ukraine, deploying a record 728 Shahed and decoy drones along with 13 missiles, the Ukrainian air force reported Wednesday. This intense attack follows a series of mounting Russian aerial and ground offensives over the protracted conflict spanning more than three years.
The city of Lutsk, situated in northwestern Ukraine near the Polish and Belarusian borders, bore the brunt of the onslaught. However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that another ten regions were also targeted. Lutsk, a strategic location housing airfields frequently utilized by the Ukrainian military, plays a vital role in the logistics of the war effort. This region receives crucial foreign military aid, which is then distributed to other parts of the country, making it a natural target for Russian long-range strikes aimed at disrupting supply lines.
Russia's recent tactic has been to overwhelm the Ukrainian air defense systems through massive aerial attacks, increasingly incorporating decoy drones into their strategy. The previous largest assault occurred on the night of July 4, which was still fresh in memory, given its proximity to another massive attack just a few days prior.
In parallel to aerial warfare, Russia has also intensified its efforts on the ground, attempting to advance across a 1,000-kilometer front where the Ukrainian forces, facing a shortage of personnel, are under considerable pressure.
Amidst this escalation, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing that despite ongoing efforts since he took office in January, there has been no progress towards a ceasefire and peace settlement. Trump reiterated on Monday that the U.S. may need to resume arms shipments to Ukraine, following a temporary pause during a period of uncertainty regarding the U.S. commitment to Ukraine's defense.
President Zelenskyy commented on the strategic nature of the recent attack on western Ukraine amid faltering U.S.-led peace initiatives, calling for stricter sanctions against Russian oil and those funding the Kremlin by purchasing it. “Everyone who wants peace must act,” he urged. As part of his diplomatic engagements, Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet with Pope Leo XIV in Italy on Wednesday.
Two individuals sustained injuries in the Kyiv region following the overnight barrage as emergency services assessed the damage. In response to the attack, Poland scrambled its fighter jets and elevated its military readiness to the highest alert level, as stated in a social media update from the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen cautioned on Tuesday that Russia could emerge as a credible security threat to the European Union by the decade's end, suggesting a significant increase in defence industry activities across Europe and Ukraine within the next five years.
Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted 296 drones and seven missiles during the assault, while an additional 415 drones were either lost from radar detection or jammed, according to an air force statement. President Zelenskyy highlighted the increasing effectiveness of Ukrainian interceptor drones, which are produced domestically in collaboration with Western partners to combat Russia's Shahed drones.
Western military analysts have observed a rise in Russian drone manufacturing, speculating that Russia may soon possess the capability to launch up to 1,000 drones nightly against Ukraine. Conversely, Ukraine has developed its offensive drone capabilities, executing several significant long-range strikes deep within Russian territory.
Russia's Defence Ministry reported Wednesday that it had downed 86 Ukrainian drones over six Russian regions overnight, including areas near Moscow. Temporary flight suspensions were enforced at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and the Kaluga international airport, situated south of Moscow.
The governor of Russia's Kursk region, Alexander Khinshtein, indicated that a Ukrainian drone attack in the region's capital city shortly before midnight resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to seven others, including a 5-year-old boy.
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
