On the night of July 31, Ukraine became the target of an unprecedented large-scale attack by Russia. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the enemy deployed more than 70 missiles, a significant portion of which were ballistic, as well as more than 280 strike unmanned aerial vehicles.
The situation on the air defense front remains critical. Ukrainian defenders managed to intercept more than 260 of the launched drones. A significant number of cruise missiles were shot down by combat aviation pilots. Mobile fire groups — units equipped with portable weapons that cover the sky in sectors where large air defense systems cannot react in time — played a particularly important role.
Consequences of the Strike and Lack of Ammunition
Despite the heroic efforts of the military, the strike caused serious damage. As a result of the attack, dozens of residential buildings were damaged, as well as civilian enterprises and infrastructure facilities. Unfortunately, there were casualties among the civilian population — deaths and injuries have been recorded.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in his message, emphasized the acute shortage of missiles for air defense systems that should be supplied by partners. "In conditions where there is a critical lack of air defense missiles from partners, our warriors are doing simply unreal things, demonstrating a very high level of professionalism," the head of state stressed.
Continuation of the Series of Night Strikes
The current attack is a continuation of a series of massive strikes that began at the end of July. On the night of July 30, Russian troops attacked Kyiv, Dnipro, Kropyvnytskyi (Krivoy Rog), and the Vinnytsia region with ballistic missiles. Fires broke out in the capital due to falling debris, and in the Kropyvnytskyi district, according to media reports, a direct hit on a residential area was recorded.
Echo of the Attack in Poland
Against the backdrop of the escalating situation, an incident also occurred outside Ukraine. In the Lublin Voivodeship of Poland, local authorities discovered a crater at the site of the fall of an unknown object. An air raid alarm was declared in the region due to suspicions that Russian missiles violated the country's airspace.
The day before, on the night of July 29, Russia had already struck Ukraine, launching 229 drones. At that time, air defense forces shot down or suppressed 65 targets. The current escalation confirms that the intensity of attacks is not decreasing, and the threat to the civilian population remains extremely high.
