Escalating drone attacks between Ukraine and Russia result in casualties for both nations
In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Russia has significantly increased its drone and missile attacks against Ukraine this summer, causing widespread destruction and a record number of civilian casualties.
On June 29, 2025, Russia launched an unprecedented wave of 537 targets, consisting of 477 drones and 60 missiles, at Ukraine. Nearly all drones were intercepted, but the debris and explosions from these attacks damaged civilians and infrastructure across central and western Ukraine, including educational facilities and a hospital.
This surge in drone use marks a dramatic escalation compared to previous years. In June 2025 alone, Russia launched over 5,000 kamikaze drones, which is double the highest monthly number recorded in 2023.
The strikes have affected broad regions across Ukraine, including western areas like Ivano-Frankivsk, Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, and Ternopil, as well as central and urban centres. The human cost is high: June 2025 recorded the highest monthly civilian casualties in over three years, with 232 civilians killed and 1,343 injured due to the expanding Russian air offensive.
The intensified attacks have not gone unanswered. Ukraine has promised to intensify attacks on Russian territory in response to the increase in Russian attacks. However, negotiations led by the United States have not been able to end the fighting.
The attack on Dnipropetrovsk, for instance, damaged 30 stores, six buildings, 304 apartments, and eight cars. One person was killed and five more were injured in this "massive attack" against Dnipropetrovsk and the regional capital, Dnipro.
Similarly, a 500-kilogram bomb attack in Dobropilia, Donetsk region, killed at least two and injured 27. Russia claimed to have taken control of another village in the Donetsk region, allowing troops to advance towards the neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region.
Moscow has refused for several months the ceasefire proposed by Washington and Kiev. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attacks as "Russian terrorism" and "a simple attempt to kill as many people as possible."
Despite these efforts, the Russian offensive against Ukraine has been going on for more than three years, causing massive casualties and territorial conflict. The Ministry of Defense of Russia intercepted and destroyed a total of 126 drones over Russian territory, while Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia used drone replicas to confuse enemy defenses.
The war continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, with large numbers of killed or injured reported and ongoing contested control of Ukrainian land. The escalation in drone and missile attacks by Russia against Ukraine has resulted in a significant increase in civilian casualties, particularly in western and central Ukrainian regions. These developments reflect a strategic increase by Russia to degrade Ukrainian defenses and morale through persistent aerial bombardment.
- The escalation in drone and missile attacks by Russia against Ukraine, as seen in June 2025, has become a prominent issue in general news, politics, and war-and-conflicts discussions.
- The surge in civilian casualties in recent months, attributed to Russia's increased use of drones and missiles, is a pressing concern in ongoing discussions about war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news, particularly in relation to Ukraine.
