In the dead of night between July 5 and 6, Russia launched its largest drone and missile assault on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Over 550 aerial weapons—including Shahed drones, cruise missiles, and glide bombs—were launched toward multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Dnipro. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the attack utilized a “double-tap” method, striking the same targets twice to inflict damage on emergency responders and maximize civilian casualties.
The overnight barrage left dozens injured, including at least 27 civilians in Kharkiv—three of them children—after a drone struck a kindergarten and surrounding residential buildings. The city of Kostyantynivka in Donetsk Oblast suffered four fatalities and over ten wounded due to glide bomb and drone attacks. In Kyiv, debris from intercepted missiles caused fires in several residential districts, with emergency services working through the night to contain the damage.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, describing it as “a barbaric assault on peaceful cities” and renewed his calls for Western nations to expedite the delivery of air defense systems, particularly Patriot batteries. “This level of bombardment is intolerable without adequate defense,” Zelenskyy said in a televised address.
In a swift response, Ukrainian forces launched long-range drone strikes against the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region, reportedly damaging several hangars and ammunition storage facilities used to equip glide bombs. Satellite imagery has shown visible scorch marks and structural collapse at the site, although Russian officials have yet to confirm the extent of the damage.
Ukraine’s military leadership continues to warn of an impending Russian ground offensive in the Kharkiv region. General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, noted a buildup of Russian troops and armored vehicles near the Kupiansk front and stated that “all signs point to a coordinated summer push in the northeast.”
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government has announced a significant expansion of its domestic drone production capacity. In recent deals signed with U.S. defense contractors and Denmark, Ukraine is set to manufacture “hundreds of thousands” of combat drones in the second half of 2025. Denmark has offered to host co-production facilities on its territory, fast-tracking both manufacturing and logistics for frontline delivery.
Despite these developments, U.S. aid to Ukraine remains in a state of flux. The Biden administration recently paused the delivery of several key weapons systems amid a broader strategic review. Former President Donald Trump, speaking at a July 6 rally in Ohio, stated, “We are helping Ukraine a lot—more than people think,” hinting at back-channel support or future conditional assistance should he return to office.
On the ground, Russian forces claim to have captured two more settlements in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, though these reports remain unverified by Ukrainian military sources. Fighting continues across a heavily mined, fortified, and artillery-ridden eastern front.
International observers express concern over the rising civilian toll and the expanding use of drone warfare, which now dominates both strategic and tactical operations. The International Red Cross issued a statement calling for greater adherence to humanitarian law, noting that repeated strikes on residential areas and medical facilities could constitute war crimes under international statutes.
As the war grinds through its third year, both sides appear locked in a punishing attritional conflict, with air power, drone capacity, and international political will playing increasingly decisive roles in shaping the future of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.