by 
Kyiv has endured another night of terror as Russia unleashed a barrage of drones and missiles, marking the latest in a series of intensifying aerial assaults that are spreading fear and testing Ukraine’s resilience. The capital faced its most severe strikes since June, with residents describing buildings shaking and fires visible across the city.
“It’s getting worse,” locals agree, as Ukraine grapples with coordinated waves of attacks involving hundreds of drones and missiles, often targeting a single city. Last night, Kyiv was hit hard, following a similar assault the previous week. Other cities, like Lutsk in western Ukraine, have also been targeted recently. The Iranian-supplied Shahed drones, once a novelty when first heard buzzing over Zaporizhzhia in 2022, are now a familiar and dreaded sound. Their latest versions, capable of flying higher and carrying deadlier payloads of up to 90kg, descend with a chilling wail reminiscent of World War Two Stuka bombers. Swarms of these drones, many acting as decoys, overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses, forcing reliance on scarce jets and missiles. Residents like Katya, who spent the night huddled in her bathroom, described their homes shaking “like they were made of paper.” Another, Svitlana, sought shelter in an underground car park for the first time, watching fires burn across the river. The attacks are not only destructive but are eroding morale. Mariia, a grandmother, recounted her 11-year-old grandson’s realization of mortality during a recent shelter stay, a stark reminder of the psychological toll. The UN’s Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported June as the deadliest month for civilians in three years, with 232 killed and over 1,300 injured, many in cities far from the front lines. Danielle Bell, head of the mission, noted that the surge in long-range strikes has brought “even more death and destruction” to civilians. Russia’s drone and missile strikes have surged since January, with June recording a new high of 5,429 drones, and July already seeing over 2,000 in its first nine days. Analysts warn that Moscow’s ramped-up production could soon enable over 1,000 missiles and drones to be launched in a single night, potentially overwhelming Ukraine’s defenses. “This is a war of resources,” said Serhii Kuzan of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre. Russia’s focus on mass-producing Shahed drones, despite their relative simplicity, exemplifies the maxim that “quantity has a quality of its own.” Former intelligence officer Ivan Stupak warned that without solutions to counter these drones, Ukraine faces “great problems” in 2025. President Zelensky has repeatedly urged allies for more air defense support, including Patriot missiles and other systems. On Thursday, the UK pledged over 5,000 air defense missiles under a new agreement, a move Kyiv hopes will be followed by further international support. As Russia’s aerial campaign intensifies, Ukraine’s resilience is being tested like never before, with civilians bearing the brunt of a war that shows no sign of abating.
