Russia launches record-breaking airstrike on Ukraine, targeting multiple regions

In a massive overnight assault on July 9, Russian forces launched a record number of air attacks against Ukraine, deploying a total of 741 air attack weapons, including 728 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The main focus of the strike was the city of Lutsk, with damage reported in ten additional regions across the country.

According to a statement from the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) cited by RBC-Ukraine, the Russian military launched a combination of attack drones, cruise missiles, and aeroballistic missiles during the operation. Specifically, 728 “Shahed”-type attack UAVs and decoy drones were sent from the Russian cities of Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Kursk, Oryol, and Millerovo. Additionally, seven Kh-101/“Iskander-K” cruise missiles were fired from the Saratov and Kursk regions, while six Kh-47M2 “Kinzhal” aeroballistic missiles were launched from the airspace over Lipetsk Oblast.

By 08:30 local time, Ukrainian air defences had successfully neutralised 718 of the incoming threats. Of these, 303 were shot down by fire, including 296 drones and seven cruise missiles, while 415 drones were lost on radar. Despite these defensive efforts, enemy weapons impacted four locations, with the debris of downed drones scattered across 14 sites.

Further confirming the scale of the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a statement, described the assault as “a new large-scale Russian attack against our cities.” He noted that the total number of air targets — 741 — was the highest seen in a single day so far, comprising 728 drones of various types, more than 300 of which were Shaheds, alongside 13 missiles, including “Kinzhal” and “Iskander.”

President Zelenskyy underscored that recovery efforts continue in many regions affected by the overnight bombardment, highlighting damage not only in Lutsk but also in Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv.

Calling the attack “demonstrative,” Zelenskyy condemned Russia’s rejection of ongoing peace and ceasefire efforts. He urged the international community to impose “painful sanctions against oil” to pressure Moscow.