Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine overnight, employing nearly 300 attack drones and 50 missiles, Ukrainian officials reported Saturday. The attack, which targeted multiple regions across the country, represents one of the largest drone barrages since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Oleksiy, a commander of a mobile air defense unit guarding the northwest of Kyiv, described the inbound swarms as increasingly unpredictable and deadly in recent months. According to Ukrainian Air Force data analyzed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Russia launched an average of 34 Shahed drones per week as of late June 2025.
The assault included a significant number of Shahed-136 drones, Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicles that Russia has been acquiring and, increasingly, manufacturing domestically. Russia began using the drones near the front lines shortly after the full-scale invasion began, quickly recognizing their value as a relatively inexpensive means of conducting large-scale strikes, according to RBC-Ukraine reporting. The scale of the attacks has grown substantially since August 2024, with some strikes involving hundreds of drones.
Ukrainian air defenses have adapted to counter the evolving threat, with interceptor drones now successfully targeting Russian strategic attack drones. However, Russia has been upgrading the Shaheds, equipping them with jet engines to increase speed and altitude, complicating interception efforts. Reports indicate that approximately half of the drones detected by radar are “dummy” drones – lacking warheads and intended to distract Ukrainian air defenses, a tactic that reduces the cost per attack while potentially increasing the effectiveness of those drones that do carry explosives.
There have been indications that some Shahed drones are being outfitted with Starlink satellite attachments, potentially enhancing their guidance systems. Russia often relies on importing jet engine technology, sometimes through third parties, to circumvent sanctions. The July 9th attack saw Russia launch a record 728 drones, demonstrating the scale to which the drone campaign has grown.
Ukrainian officials have not released detailed assessments of damage or casualties resulting from the latest attacks as of Saturday afternoon. The Ukrainian military leadership is reportedly working to develop countermeasures to address the modernization of the Shahed drones, but details of those efforts have not been publicly disclosed.
