Ukraine Downs One Missile and 127 Drones as Russian Strikes Kill Civilians in Sloviansk and Sumy
Russian forces conducted a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine on 24-25 July as part of Ukraine strikes, launching two Kh-59/69 missiles and 157 drones, of which Ukrainian air defences downed one missile and 127 drones while strikes on multiple cities caused civilian deaths and injuries. [3]
Overview of Russian Overnight Attack
Russian forces launched two Kh-59/69 air-to-surface missiles from the Black Sea along with 157 Shahed, some jet-powered, Gerbera, Italmas attack drones and Parodiya decoy UAVs during the night of 24-25 July. [3] The launches originated from the Russian cities of Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk as well as from the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk, Hvardiiske and Chauda. [3] Ukrainian air defence forces destroyed or jammed one Kh-59/69 missile and 127 of the drones across the north, south, east and centre of the country. [3] The scale of the combined missile and drone assault required sustained defensive operations through the night.
Casualties and Damage in Sloviansk
A Geran-2 drone struck a house in Sloviansk, killing one person and injuring two others on the night of 24-25 July. [2] Vadym Liakh, Head of Sloviansk City Military Administration, stated on Facebook that the strike occurred during another noisy night and confirmed the fatalities and injuries at the residential site. [2] Across the Sloviansk hromada, six people were killed and 27 injured over the past day, with nine residents killed and 45 injured over the past week. [2] Liakh emphasised that the tragic statistics indicate residents should leave the city, noting that staying in place will not save homes while moving to a safer location can save lives. [2]
A Russian Geran-2 drone struck a residential house in Sloviansk, killing one civilian. — Source: ukrainskapravda
Fatal Strike on Sumy Post Office
The death toll from a Russian jet-powered drone strike on a post office in the Sumy district on the evening of 24 July rose to two. [4] Oleh Hryhorov, Head of Sumy Oblast Military Administration, reported on social media that a critically injured man died from severe injuries while being transported to hospital. [4] Both victims were civilian men whose identities are still being established. [4] The strike initially killed one man and injured another before the additional fatality was confirmed. [4]
Impact on Zaporizhzhia
Russian forces launched a drone attack on Zaporizhzhia on the night of 24-25 July that damaged a shopping centre building and left several people injured. [5] Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, stated on social media that early reports indicated people had been injured and a fire had broken out as a result of the enemy attack. [5] The fire started at the site of the impact on the shopping centre. [5] Several people sustained injuries from the drone strike. [5]
Ukrainian air defences downed one Russian missile and 127 drones during overnight attack. — Source: ukrainskapravda
Air Defence and Strike Outcomes
Hits by 26 UAVs were recorded at nine locations, with debris from downed aerial assets falling at four additional locations. [3] The Kh-59 missile did not reach its intended target. [3] As of 07:30 following the launches that began at 18:00 on 24 July, Ukrainian forces had neutralised the one missile and 127 drones. [3] The attack remained ongoing with several enemy drones still in the airspace, prompting calls to observe safety measures. [3]
What to watch next
The attack is ongoing, as several enemy drones are still in the airspace. Please observe safety measures! [3]
