Since the beginning of 2025, the number of Russian strikes on Ukraine has increased more than fivefold. In June and July, Russia launched a record number of drones, combining them with missiles, according to an analysis by the Washington Post.
This summer, there were no quiet nights in Ukraine. In June and July, the Russian army launched a total of 11,739 drones, a record since the start of the full-scale war. During these same two months, Ukraine was attacked with 433 cruise and ballistic missiles.
According to the UN, these two months were the deadliest for civilians in three years: 518 people were killed, and over 1,500 were injured.
“Now, more drones are used in a single attack than would have been in a month of strikes in 2024,” Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the publication.
“They will continue to sow chaos at night in different parts of Ukraine,” said a senior European diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous to speak candidly. “Russia is currently not at all interested in stopping.”
Moreover, the nighttime noise in Ukraine far exceeds the level considered healthy for nighttime by the World Health Organization (about 40-45 decibels). Air raid sirens have a volume of 100 to 130 decibels, the sound of a drone explosion can reach 120-150 decibels, and the roar of machine guns used to shoot them down reaches 140-160 decibels.
Photo: AP