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Editor's note: This is a breaking story and is being updated.
Russia launched another mass missile and drone attack overnight on July 9, targeting Ukrainian cities, including in the country's far-west regions located hundreds of kilometers from the front line.
Late spring and early summer in Ukraine have been marked by disturbingly frequent mass attacks on civilian targets, with Russia regularly terrorizing cities with ballistic and cruise missiles alongside record-breaking numbers of kamikaze drones.
Ukraine's Air Force warned late on July 8 that Russia had launched MiG-31 aircraft from the Savasleyka airfield in Nizhny Novgorod, putting the entire country under an active missile threat. Swarms of drones were also heading towards multiple cities in Ukraine, the military said.
Explosions rocked Kyiv at around midnight on July 9, according to Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that Russian drones were attacking the city center and that air defenses were shooting down targets.
Ukraine's Air Force reported drones and missiles targeting Ukraine's far-west regions with alerts of overhead drones approaching the western cities of Lutsk, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil.
Explosions were heard in the city of Lutsk in western Volyn Oblast just before 4 a.m. local time, Suspilne reported, amid warning of drones and missiles overhead.
Explosions were also reported in communities closer to the front line, including Dnipro, Sumy, as well as over Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
No information was immediately available on any damage or casualties.
Russian ballistics and kamikaze drones have targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with renewed ferocity, killing dozens of civilians and injuring hundreds more.
The renewed attacks on Ukraine comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to send 10 Patriot interceptors to Ukraine, amid escalating tension between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It's a horrible thing, and I'm not happy with President Putin at all," Trump said. "I'm disappointed frankly that President Putin hasn't stopped (the attacks)," Trump said on July 8. The comments come after the Pentagon halted air defense weapon shipments to Ukraine.
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) identified Russian Armed Forces Major Denis Sheynov as allegedly involved in the July 2024 missile strike on Kyiv's Okhmatdyt children's hospital, HUR reported on July 8.
The strike, which killed two adults and injured at least 34 people, directly hit the country's largest pediatric medical center, where 627 children were receiving treatment at the time.
According to HUR, Sheynov is the head of the special engineering service of the 121st Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, part of Russia's 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, tasked with executing the strike.
Sheynov, born in Saratov on Jan. 30, 1978, was reportedly responsible for the technical preparation of the X-101 air-launched cruise missiles used in the attack.
He graduated from the Saratov Higher Military Command Engineering School Missile Forces, and previously served in Syria in 2018. Sheynov has been awarded several medals by the Russian government, including for participation in the Syrian war.
Ukrainian authorities previously charged Russian Lieutenant General Sergey Kobylash in absentia for ordering the strike, which was widely condemned internationally.
Kobylash gave the order at around 9:15 a.m., while the hospital was struck at 10:45 a.m.
Russia has lost 1,028,610 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on July 8.
The number includes 1,070 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,995 tanks, 22,967 armored fighting vehicles, 54,456 vehicles and fuel tanks, 30,034 artillery systems, 1,434 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,192 air defense systems, 421 airplanes, 340 helicopters, 44,230 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 6 that his administration is "helping a lot" when it comes to Ukraine, defending his approach to the ongoing war.
"I am helping Ukraine. I'm helping it a lot," Trump told reporters when asked in Washington why the U.S. does not support Ukraine as strongly as it supports Israel.
The comment follows a growing outcry in Kyiv over the U.S. Defense Department's decision to pause deliveries of key weapons, including Patriot air defense missiles and precision-guided munitions.
Ukrainian officials have warned that the delay leaves the country more vulnerable to intensified Russian missile and drone attacks, which have killed and injured hundreds of civilians in recent weeks.
While Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the war and support Ukraine, his administration has not imposed new sanctions on Russia since he took office in January and has yet to approve additional military assistance packages.
Instead, the Trump administration has prioritized military action in the Middle East. The U.S. launched air strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran on June 21, a move critics say stands in contrast to Washington's cautious posture toward Moscow.
Speaking on Air Force One on July 5, Trump expressed frustration over his July 3 phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people," Trump said.
Trump also spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 4 in what the U.S. president later described as a "very strategic" call. Trump said the two discussed Ukraine's urgent need for air defenses.
"They're going to need something because they're being hit pretty hard," Trump said, adding that supplying Patriot systems was a possibility.
Despite those comments, there have been no new authorizations for weapons deliveries, and Trump's administration has continued to avoid direct economic pressure on Moscow.
Two rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine held in Istanbul in May and June led only to prisoner exchanges, with no breakthrough on ending hostilities. Moscow has maintained maximalist conditions while rejecting calls for an unconditional ceasefire.
Russian attacks against Ukraine have killed at least six civilians and injured at least 22 others over the past day, regional authorities reported on July 6.
Russian forces launched four S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Russia's Kursk Oblast and 157 Shahed drones from Russia's Shatalovo, Millerovo, and Primorsk-Akhtarsk airfields, as well as from Russian-occupied Crimea, against Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force.
Ukraine's air defense shot down 98 drones, while another 19 disappeared from radar without causing any damage, according to the statement. Drones that disappear from radar before reaching their targets are often decoys that Russia launches alongside real drones to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense.
In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces attacked 13 settlements, killing two people and injuring 11 others, Governor Oleg Syniehubov reported.
An 8-year-old boy was killed, while a 3-year-old boy, a 40-year-old man, and a 36-year-old woman suffered injuries in the village of Odnorobivka.
In the town of Kupiansk, a 59-year-old man was killed, while a 56-year-old man, a 57-year-old woman, and two women aged 65 were injured due to the Russian strikes.
In Kharkiv, the regional capital, a 46-year-old woman and a 2-year-old girl suffered injuries.
The casualties were also reported in the villages of Prykolotne and Shyroke, where a 66-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were injured.
In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces killed a person in the town of Myrnohrad, and another person was killed in the village of Andriivka, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
In Andriivka, two people suffered injuries. Two more people were injured in the town of Siversk, and another one in the city of Pokrovsk.
In Kherson Oblast, Russia targeted 32 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson, over the past day. As a result of the attacks, two people were killed and three others were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, a 39-year-old woman was injured in the attack against the Nikopol district. Russia targeted the area with FPV (first-person-view) drones and artillery, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian strikes injured an 89-year-old woman in the village of Yurkivka, the local military administration reported.
In Kyiv Oblast, Russia attacked the Vyshhorod district, injuring a 35-year-old man. He suffered shrapnel wounds, the local military administration reported.
In Mykolaiv Oblast, Russian drones attacked the port infrastructure in the regional center of Mykolaiv, damaging the power grid and warehouses. There were no casualties among civilians, according to Governor Vitalii Kim.
In Poltava Oblast, Russian drones struck the city of Kremenchuk, hitting an enlistment office and a neighboring house. The attack caused a fire, but no casualties were reported, according to the local military administration.
Ukraine's Emergency Service also reported that Russia had carried out double-tap attacks in the cities of Kharkiv and Kherson when rescuers arrived at the impact sites. As a result of the attacks, tanker trucks were damaged, but no rescuers were injured.
Russia's economy, which defied initial sanctions and saw growth propelled by massive military spending and robust oil exports, is now showing significant signs of a downturn.
Recent economic indicators are flashing red, with manufacturing activity declining, consumer spending tightening, and inflation remaining stubbornly high, straining the national budget, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on July 4.
Russian officials are openly acknowledging the risks of a recession. Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov warned last month that Russia was on the "verge of a recession," while Finance Minister Anton Siluanov described the situation as a "perfect storm." Companies, from agricultural machinery producers to furniture makers, are reducing output. The central bank announced on July 3 it would debate cutting its benchmark interest rate later this month, following a reduction in June.
While analysts suggest this economic sputtering is unlikely to immediately alter President Vladimir Putin’s war objectives—as his focus on "neutering Ukraine" overrides broader economic concerns—it exposes the limits of his war economy.
The slowdown indicates that Western sanctions, though not a knockout blow, are increasingly taking a toll. If sanctions intensify further or global oil prices fall, Russia’s economy could face more severe instability. This downturn undermines Putin's strategic bet that Russia can financially outlast Ukraine and its Western allies, suggesting Moscow may struggle to finance the war indefinitely.
Experts warn that Russia's economic growth model, overly reliant on military spending, is unsustainable and necessitates a contraction of civilian economic capacities to free up workers for the war machine, which is not a viable long-term strategy. Putin recently dismissed suggestions that the war is stifling the economy, echoing Mark Twain by stating reports of its death "are greatly exaggerated." However, he also cautioned that a recession or stagflation "should not be allowed under any circumstances."
After a brief recession in 2022, military spending, which accounts for over 6% of gross domestic product this year (the highest since Soviet times) and approximately 40% of total government spending, had propped up Russia’s economy and blunted the impact of Western sanctions. Russia’s ability to reroute oil exports to China and Beijing’s support with electronics and machinery provided additional economic stimulus. This created an economic paradox: the most sanctioned major economy was, for a period, growing faster than many advanced economies.
However, this military spending "sugar rush" fueled runaway inflation, compelling the central bank to raise interest rates to a record 21% to try and tame it. Higher interest rates increased borrowing costs for businesses, curbing investment, expansion plans, and squeezing profits. The economic comedown has already begun.
Official data shows Russian GDP growth slowed to 1.4% in the first quarter compared to a year earlier, down significantly from 4.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024. S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index indicated Russia’s manufacturing sector contracted at its sharpest rate in over three years in June, and new car sales dropped nearly 30% year-over-year in June.
Businesses across Russia are feeling the effects, according to the WSJ. Rostselmash, the country’s largest producer of agricultural machinery, announced in May it would cut production and investment, and pull forward mandatory annual leave for its 15,000 employees due to a lack of demand. In Siberia, electricity grid operator Rosseti Sibir stated it was on the verge of bankruptcy due to high debt, halting investments and proposing tariff hikes for industrial users.
While some analysts argue the Russian banking system remains stable, others warn of increasing instability. A recent report by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) highlighted risks from a government decision to control war-related lending at major Russian banks. The state could direct banks to offer preferential loans, potentially forcing the government to absorb losses if high interest rates prevent companies from meeting obligations.
The Moscow-based Center for Macroeconomic Analysis and Short-Term Forecasting also assessed in May that the risk of a protracted systemic banking crisis in 2026 was "moderate" and growing.
These economic challenges intensify pressure on the Kremlin by reducing its financial capacity to fund its war in Ukraine. The government has operated with a budget deficit throughout the war and projects this will continue for at least two more years. This fiscal strain could provide an opening for Western nations to implement more powerful sanctions.
Falling oil prices present another significant risk for Russia, as energy sales account for about a third of its budget revenues. The price of Russian crude has consistently remained below the level assumed in this year’s budget, and Russia’s oil-and-gas revenue in June fell to its lowest level since January 2023, according to Finance Ministry data.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 5 that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear interested in ending the war in Ukraine, according to a comment made onboard Air Force One.
Trump reiterated that he was "very unhappy" with the July 3 phone call between the two leaders.
"It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people. It's not good. I wasn't happy with it," Trump told reporters.
The call, which lasted about an hour, was confirmed by the Kremlin to have focused on Ukraine. Putin reportedly told Trump that Russia would continue pursuing its "goals" in the war.
Trump's remarks follow a sharp escalation in Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine that have killed and injured hundreds of civilians in recent weeks.
The strikes have hit multiple regions, destroying civilian infrastructure amid persistent calls from Ukraine, the U.S., and Europe for an unconditional ceasefire.
The day after his call with Putin, the U.S. president spoke by phone with President Volodymyr Zelensky and said the two had a "very strategic" conversation.
"We talked about different things... I think it was a very, very strategic call," Trump said. When asked about supplying Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, he replied, "Yeah, we might."
"They're going to need something because they're being hit pretty hard," Trump added.
The statement comes as the U.S. Defense Department has paused deliveries of several key weapons systems, including Patriot missiles and precision-guided munitions, prompting concern in Kyiv.
While Trump has said he wants to help Ukraine, his administration has not imposed new sanctions on Russia since taking office and has not approved additional aid packages.
The U.S. president has instead directed strikes against Iran, targeting three nuclear facilities in June in response to regional escalations, a move critics say contrasts with his cautious approach toward Moscow.
When asked why he appears tougher on Tehran than Moscow, Trump told reporters, "No, I think I'm tougher on Russia than I am on Iran."
Despite two rounds of face-to-face talks between Moscow and Kyiv in May and June in Istanbul, no agreement on a ceasefire has been reached. The negotiations have only resulted in prisoner exchanges, as Moscow continues to push for maximalist demands in peace talks.
The British and French-led "coalition of the willing" is set to meet in the U.K. next week, Politico reported on July 4.
"On the agenda, there's how to maintain Ukraine in a capacity to fight, how to increase pressure on Russia, and how to continue the work on the next steps," an unnamed French official told Politico.
As Washington's intensified efforts to broker a ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine failed, two rounds of largely inconclusive peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow took place in Turkey.
Following various failed attempts to obtain a ceasefire or peace deal, the coalition will meet again on July 10.
The French official told Politico that the priorities of the "coalition of the willing" have not changed, and will continue to focus on Ukraine's military needs.
The meeting will be led by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, with President Volodymyr Zelensky and various leaders joining virtually, the official said.
The "coalition of the willing" has met repeatedly to determine potential security guarantees and a peacekeeping force for Ukraine. Leaders of 31 nations met in Paris on March 27 at a summit for the coalition.
Several countries, including France and the U.K., which lead the coalition, have pledged to send troops on the ground to enforce a potential ceasefire.
Drones struck multiple targets in Russia overnight on July 4, including a high-value defense facility in the southern Rostov region, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of the counter-disinformation center at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
Kovalenko said a drone hit the Azov Optical and Mechanical Plant in the town of Azov, Rostov Oblast. The facility reportedly manufactures critical components for the Russian military, including sights, rangefinders, thermal imaging systems, and fire control equipment for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, ships, and aircraft.
"This is where the 'eyes' for Russian armored vehicles are assembled," Kovalenko wrote.
Russian officials also confirmed drone strikes across several regions.
Yuriy Slyusar, acting governor of Rostov Oblast, said a number of towns in the region were struck by drones. In the city of Azov, the attack reportedly damaged several cars and shattered windows in residential buildings. Debris from one drone allegedly fell onto a local stadium.
In the village of Dolotinka, a drone strike reportedly caused the collapse of a section of a residential apartment building, killing an elderly woman. Authorities said 20 residents were evacuated from the damaged structure.
In Sergiyev Posad in Moscow Oblast, four explosions were reported around 5 a.m. near the Zvezdochka neighborhood, accompanied by the sound of drone engines, according to local residents. Oksana Yerokhanova, head of the district, said a power substation was damaged in the incident.
Two people were injured in Sergiyev Posad, according to Governor Andrei Vorobyov.
Russia's Defense Ministry later claimed that air defense systems had intercepted or destroyed 48 Ukrainian drones overnight. According to the ministry, 26 were downed over Rostov Oblast, 12 over Kursk Oblast, six over Belgorod Oblast, three over Oryol Oblast, and one over Lipetsk Oblast.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims. Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the incidents.
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The Kyiv Independent news desk
