In the largest aerial assault since the start of the war, Russia launched 479 drones and 20 missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Monday. The strikes targeted central and western regions in a fresh escalation of Moscow’s summer offensive.Ukraine shoots down majority of incoming threats
Ukraine's air defense systems intercepted 277 drones and 19 missiles, according to the air force. Only about 10 projectiles hit their intended targets, with one person reported injured. These figures could not be independently verified.The wave of attacks comes as Ukraine faces increasing pressure along its 1,000-kilometer front line, especially in the eastern and northeastern regions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy admitted Sunday night that the battlefield situation in some areas is “very difficult.”
Russian offensive linked to retaliatory strikes
The Kremlin has intensified its strikes following Ukraine's recent drone attack on air bases deep inside Russian territory. In response, Russia has launched strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure, including an attack on Dubno air base in Rivne.
Ukraine’s military claimed that special operations forces hit two Russian fighter jets at the Savasleyka airfield in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region. The Russian government has not commented on the claim.
Peace talks offer little progress
Recent rounds of direct negotiations in Istanbul have yielded limited results, with minor agreements on prisoner exchanges and body recoveries. Despite this, major breakthroughs remain elusive. Both sides accuse each other of failing to follow through on agreed-upon terms for returning the bodies of fallen soldiers.
Ukraine’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said a body exchange would begin this week, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed it is expected, but without a clear timeline.
Ukraine strikes back inside Russia
Ukraine continues to strike inside Russian territory using long-range drones. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported shooting down 49 Ukrainian drones across seven regions overnight. However, two drones managed to hit a plant manufacturing electronic warfare systems in Chuvashia.
In Voronezh, 25 drones were reportedly intercepted, though one strike damaged a gas pipeline and caused a minor fire.
The United Nations estimates that more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the war began, with Russia frequently accused of targeting non-military sites.
