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On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Russia began one of the biggest drones strikes on Ukraine, mainly focusing on Kyiv and the neighboring areas. All 89 drones were shot down during the nearly seven-hour nocturnal attack, according to Ukrainian military officials. According to Kyiv authorities, the drones arrived in two waves, and “not a single drone reached its target.” This is the seventh attack of this month and the biggest on Kyiv thus far this year.
According to regional military chief Ruslan Kravchenko, there were no injuries or damage to civilian, residential, or essential infrastructure in the Kyiv region. Nevertheless, rubble destroyed the facades, windows, and roofs of thirteen private homes in the area, and firefighters put out one fire brought on by the downed drones. “Most of the debris from unmanned aerial vehicles fell outside of the settlements,” he said.
11,500 people sought sanctuary in metro stations throughout the night as the drones came in waves and came from “all possible directions,” according to local officials.
Last week, Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for the military espionage agency, told Reuters that Russia was now employing new, inexpensive drones to film the position of Ukraine’s air defenses, evaluate damage, and serve as decoys.
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Though no injuries were reported in Kyiv, other parts of the country did not have the same luck. An X-59 guided missile fired from occupied Kherson was shot down by Ukraine in the Mykolaiv area. At least two people were killed in separate strikes that targeted Ukraine’s east and south. In Kherson, a drone strike claimed the life of a 68-year-old male and wounded a 73-year-old lady. According to The Daily Guardian, four people were injured in different incidents in the Donetsk area, while one citizen of Toretsk lost their life.
“This is one of the most massive attacks by Shahed-131/136 strike drones,” the air force declared.
Asserting that his country could completely defend its skies with enough supplies, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the necessity for additional air defense systems from partners.
“Ukrainians can fully protect their skies from Russian strikes when they have sufficient supplies,” he wrote on Telegram.
Zelensky also stressed how critical it is for foreign allies to make brave choices in order to give the required assistance. Furthermore, Putin repeatedly urged partners to expedite the delivery of Ukraine’s essential air defense systems, especially the US-made Patriots.
“We need sufficiently courageous decisions from our partners – enough air defense systems, enough range,” he stated.
In response, the Biden administration unveiled a fresh aid package worth around $1.7 billion, which included ammunition and missiles for artillery, air defense, and missile defense systems, according to CNN.