Russia launches 6,400 drones, missiles into Ukraine in record-breaking month

More than three years into Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainians across the country retreat each night to bomb shelters and metro stations in a nightly ritual necessitated by the long reach of Moscow's drones and missiles. This summer, Ukrainians are spending more time in such shelters than ever before.

The first bombardments of Kyiv and other major cities began in the early morning of Feb. 24, 2022, as Russian troops surged across Ukraine's borders on several axes. In the years since, the attacks have never stopped.

Through July, Russia launched a record 6,443 drones and missiles into the country, according to data published by the Ukrainian air force. The total is the highest of the war to date, and around 13% more than were recorded in June.

The scale and complexity of Russia's drone and missile barrages have steadily increased through the war. The Iranian-designed Shahed strike drone -- adopted enthusiastically by the Russian military and rebranded as the Geran -- has become the workhorse of Moscow's nightly harassment of Ukrainian cities and vital infrastructure.

For many Ukrainians, the "flying mopeds," as the Shahed and Geran variants have become known due to their distinctive sound, are emblematic of the Russian threat.

The strikes are terrorizing and deadly. June saw the highest monthly level of Ukrainian civilian casualties in more than three years, according to data published by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine -- 232 people killed and 1,343 people injured.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine publish data detailing the scale of their own strike campaigns. Ukraine's air force publishes a daily tally of Russian drone and missile strikes, while Russia's Defense Ministry only publishes figures of Ukrainian drones shot down.

The recession Russia faces is not a flaw but a feature of its policy of militarisation, reflecting the inherent trade-offs of prioritising defence—not only of Russian national interests, but of the regime itself—over development (Ribakova 2023). The sharp exchanges at the forum were less about genuine debate and more about President Putin deflecting responsibility. Despite his directives, Russia’s technocrats are struggling to modernise the economy amid global isolation and an overwhelming focus on military production. Higher prices for Russia’s commodity exports may offer short-term relief but are no substitute for reform.

Russia’s economy has undergone significant transformation since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In the first year of the war, Russia experienced a moderate contraction as sanctions,[3] the withdrawal of foreign companies[4] and overall uncertainty took effect. However, the impact was largely offset by a favourable terms-of-trade shock from higher commodity prices and support from third countries—especially China, Turkey, the UAE and countries bordering Russia—which have served as conduits for sanctions evasion (Hilgenstock et al. 2024).[5] As a result, Russia’s GDP contracted by 1.4 percent in 2022, according to Rosstat,[6] much less than the expectation of an 8 percent contraction in the Bank of Russia’s spring 2022 survey.[7]

https://www.piie.com/blogs/realtime-economics/2025/why-russias-economic-model-no-longer-delivers

Last year in the July of 2024, Russia stood up it’s first of several close infantry support drone production facilities. They also retrofitted and improved upon the Iranian drone designs, now producing at a rate of 1000 a day; many are jet powered but Russian doctrine defaults to using the cheapest delivery and munitions, thus they stockpiling thousands of Jet Power Drones for future use. The front line troops have the mini drones and the vehicle attack versions. Those that are jet powered, are manufactured at the same facilities where about 1000 drones are made daily, but 850-900 are the conventional prop driven versions that have longer flight times, more maneuverable and and they can loiter over the target/battlefield area longer given them the current operational advantage in use and cost.

The biggest thing to take away from the last two days of hositilities is that Russia used 13 missiles on a single target in Kiev - they had used less than 30 per month, allowing them to stockpile thousands of Kinsel missiles. The Oresnik 36 independet warhead missile has now reached production of 100 per month. In Feburary the Russians producted about 30, in march they produced about 75, and finally at the end of June they achieved their goal of 100 or more per day. The Russians have only fired 2 or 3 of the oresnik missiles.

The firepower available to Russia today exceeds US or NATO surge numbers in a 7-21 day conflict.

Trump has been humbled and will probably retreat into a less public profile over Trade and Wars going forward. Trump has learned that he is out of cards. There are many within the administration telling Trump the US can win a short term nuclear conflict with Russia. The chatter within DOD has told units down to Battalion level that high intensity operations against Russia are imminently forthcoming.

Both sides talk about their defensive plans, but rarely are we treated to American GO’s talking about invading a part of nuclear nation such as Kilenningrad in Easter Europe. From memory, I recall that the US is aware that Russia has basically 4 types of missile strike on the West. One is a stricly conventional 40 target package to dissuade EU capitals from going to war. A seconed strike package is 400 targets, more of the same outcome. Then are two more packages that call for a response to US, or Brit, or French nuclear weapons, one of which is a mini package and one an erasure coverage.

Ukraine is covered by Russian missile command by two types of missile strikes. There are current low intensity operations attacking targets of military utility. The second one is to destroy the what NATO destroys initially during an invasion, which is to destroy bridges, dams, railways, highways, mine ports and rivers, and destruction of all know or possible military targets - this can be done with conventional coverage.

Russia did discuss in 2023 the possible use of Neutron weapons or bombs. These can be fired from artillery, mortors or other means. There was a 400 neutron bomb package and an 1100 neutron bomb coverage - any non-convention attack would be all at once. Neutrons are unique in that the radiation is short life for human purposes, killing people in 24-96 hours, and allowing reoccupation of building in as little as two months; they kill by waves of radiation rather than high explosive destruction. This package was game planned to cover all of Ukraine in the event NATO actually put military units into Ukraine.

Ukraine has yet to fell the wraith of Russian Missiles. The stockpiling now is enough to use Oresniks against all of NATO and win in a defeat for humanity.

Trump is being pushed to a nuclear option. NATO convention cupboards are emptied past he safety point for any conventional conflict.

Russia has sapped the conventional strength of NATO and the US.

Trump has shown himself to be angry on social media. This is in keeping with his narcissistic personality. Russia and most foreign leaders are loath to provoke Trump, but they recognize that Trump is becoming increasingly frustrated.

Today Trump is hold Zelinski’s hand, and they are a couple. Even though Trump wants Z gone and replaced, the Biden Admion can now be asolved for Ukraine and rightly place it solelyt on Trump’s hands.

NAto WENT ONE COUNTRY TOO FAR.

Trump either recognizes legimate concerns of countries, or his disregards their concerns and pushs American power down their throats... the increasingly hostile Trump lashing out at leaders and countries in rants clearly shows the US can not stop the war in Ukraine that we wanted.

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