Russia fired more drones at Ukraine in July than in any month since the beginning of the war in February 2022. Russia deployed 6,297 long-range drones, more than thirteen times as many as in July 2024.
This is according to analyses by, among others, the Ukrainian Air Force. Russia deployed the long-range drones almost 16 percent more often than in June. The Russians have never launched so many drones in a single month, writes analyst Kyle Glen of human rights organization Center for Information Resilience.
The number of long-range drones in July was even greater than in the first ten months of 2024 combined. This was despite periods of rest due to bad weather.
The drones also appear to be more effective. In the first quarter of this year, 5 percent of Russian drones reached their target. From April to June, this averaged 15 percent, reports the Ukrainian Air Force.
In addition to the drones, Russia also fired 198 missiles at Ukraine in July. That happened more often than in all previous months of 2025, except for June. The attacks took place almost daily, according to Ukrainian authorities.
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How this Russian town is a transit point for ‘Chinese’ drones
More casualties and difficult peace negotiations
The ongoing drone and missile attacks are causing an increasing number of civilian casualties. According to the United Nations, June saw the highest number of civilian deaths or injuries in three years. At the end of July, at least fifteen people were killed in a major attack on Kyiv, including a six-year-old child.
Moscow is so far rejecting a ceasefire and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have not yielded an agreement since May. US President Donald Trump warned Moscow this week of extra sanctions if a peace deal is not reached soon.