Ukraine Update: July 9, 2025
In Strikes Big and Small Russia Targets Ukraine's Civilians
Russian Air Attacks:
Last night, Russia’s air force launched the largest air attack of the war. As always, civilians found themselves in the Kremlin’s cross-hairs. The MFA of Ukraine wrote, “Russia launched an air attack overnight with 741 aerial weapons – including 728 drones, 7 Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 6 Kinzhal missiles. Our defenses neutralized 718 threats, with dozens intercepted by Ukrainian interceptor drones and mobile fire groups. The main strike hit Lutsk, where fires broke out at a garage cooperative and a private enterprise. Damage was also reported in Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Chernihiv regions. In Kyiv region, emergency crews are still battling a fire covering 8,000 square meters.”
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the attack saying, “ A new massive Russian attack on our cities. It was the highest number of aerial targets in a single day: 741 targets – 728 drones of various types, including over 300 shaheds, and 13 missiles – Kinzhals and Iskanders. Most of the targets were shot down. Our interceptor drones were used – dozens of enemy targets were downed, and we are scaling up this technology. Mobile fire groups were also active – they downed dozens as well.”
Instead of decisive action to end the war, the collective West has drip-fed aid to Ukraine and limited sanctions on Russia. This has given the Kremlin years to adapt and to ramp up production of deadly drones and missiles. Jay in Kyiv wrote, “Trump's refusal to place any meaningful consequences onto Putin has created a catastrophic nightmare for the people of Ukraine, now facing drone and missile barrages of nearly 750 per attack. Putin used this time as we knew he would – to build up his war machine.” Unfortunately, there is reason to believe the already unbearable attacks will get worse. Maks 25 wrote, “As Russian industry continues to gain momentum, military analysts say they expect Russia to be regularly launching more than 1,000 drones in a single salvo by the fall, — The New York Times.”
Human Safari:
In addition to the more anonymous nightly long-range drone barrages, Russian first person view (FPV) drone operators continue to terrorize individual Ukrainian families with seemingly random acts of terrorism. Dubbed the “human safari,” these attacks leave Ukrainians living within drone range of the front line in constant danger.
Today, Saint Javelin reported that, “Russians killed a one-year-old boy in Kherson region An enemy drone dropped explosives on the yard of a house where the baby and an elderly woman were staying.” Kate from Kharkiv also reported, “Russian FPV drone attacked a civilian vehicle on the road between Dobropillia and Bilytske village, Donetsk Region. 3 people were killed: a father, a mother, and their daughter.”
The Russians have also targeted Ukraine’s farmers with regular drone strikes. Kate from Kharkiv reported, “On July 8, Russian forces attacked the Borivska community in the Kharkiv Region. A combine harvester was destroyed, and approximately 50 hectares of standing wheat and 50 hectares of crop residues were consumed by fire. War Monitor lamented, “Russian forces are literally hunting civilians with drones in the Kherson region frontline in a twisted game of human safari. I don't know why this is getting more media coverage!”
Ground War:
At the front, Ukrainian forces continued to roll back Russian gains in Sumy while the Kremlin’s forces continued their slow but steady advance in Donetsk Oblast. In the latter, Julian Ropcke reported, “The Russian invasion army captured Zelene Dolyna in northern Donetsk oblast, Russian and Ukrainian sources report accordingly,” and, “Russian invasion forces captured Tolstoi and Novosilka in Western Donetsk Oblast. Only ten villages in that oblast area remain under Ukrainian control.”
Diplomacy:
Addressing the German parliament today, Chancellor Merz spoke about the long road ahead for Ukraine and his nation’s commitment to support this embattled ally. Tendar wrote, “German Chancellor Merz in the German Parliament in reference to Russia‘s war of aggression against Ukraine: “We will continue to support Ukraine. And in order to be clearer, let me say this: All means of diplomacy have been exhausted, when a criminal regime using military means questions the right of existence of an entire country, and attempts to destroy the political order of freedom on the European continent. The federal government, which I’m leading, will do everything to thwart this attempt. And in this question the overwhelming majority of the German population agrees.“
Other European allies showed less resolve. Maks 25 wrote that, “Estonia threatens to block the 18th sanctions package if the price ceiling for Russian oil from $60 per barrel to $45 is removed from it! As reported by Delfi, the Mediterranean countries want to exclude this point.” The Kyiv Post also reported, “Slovakia has once again blocked the EU’s 18th sanctions package against Russia…There is still no agreement on the EU sanctions package against Russia. EU ambassadors could potentially adopt it on Friday. Slovakia is still blocking it,” Radio Free Europe journalist Rikard Jozwiak.” This is the lack of resolve that gives Russia what it needs to continue the killing.
