Ukraine War Sees Highest Civilian Deaths in July Since April 2022
In the Ukraine war, Russia has escalated attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and ports in recent weeks, prompting former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to warn that a phase of total economic war has begun, while July civilian deaths reached the highest level since April 2022. [1]
Escalation into Total Economic War
Former Ukrainian minister Dmytro Kuleba said a total economic war is beginning. [1] He stated, “We are entering a total war, and that is a major problem. Both we and they will have enough missiles and drones to systematically destroy each other’s economies. As for ordinary daily life, very difficult times lie ahead.” [1] Kuleba added that apart from the start of the invasion, Ukraine had not faced shortages of goods in shops and supermarket prices had remained more or less stable, but “There will now be disruptions [to supplies of goods], because everything will be destroyed and flooded.” [1] He later explained that he did not mean there would be food shortages, but rather that he was referring to imported goods. [1] Russia has destroyed all petrol stations on the road between Kharkiv and Poltava. [1] Over the past three weeks Russia has fired almost 200 missiles at the port of Odessa and its surroundings, and exports effectively ceased for at least one week. [1] According to the Ukrainian account Oko Hora, foreign merchant ships stopped calling at Ukrainian ports. [1] Kuleba said, “Ports and logistics hubs are now being destroyed on both sides — this is total economic warfare.” [1]
Rising Civilian Toll and Infrastructure Attacks
The number of civilians killed in July has reached its highest level since April 2022. [1] The number of attacks on civilian infrastructure is rising. [1] One of the 70 missiles Russia fired at Ukraine in an hours-long attack early on June 15 exploded above Mariya Prokopchuk’s apartment building in eastern Kyiv. [4] The shockwave shattered hundreds of windows in the area. [4] The overnight attack killed five civilians and wounded three dozen. [4] It caused fires, including in the Kyiv-Pecherska Lavra. [4] Prokopchuk said, “Three more centimetres, and [the shards] would have pierced my skull.” [4] She said she “felt no fear” about the blast. [4]
Trump hosts Netanyahu and Zelenskiy amid escalating Ukraine war and record civilian deaths. — Source: cyprusmail
Frontline Developments and Russian Losses
Fierce fighting is under way for Kostiantynivka; reports that it has fallen are false. [1] A Russian soldier ‘captured’ the village of Bilyi Kolodiaz in Kharkiv region, but the video appears to have been manipulated. [1] Russia has lost 1,560 soldiers killed and wounded and 70 artillery systems over the past day. [5] The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 28 July 2026 are estimated to be approximately 1,442,140 military personnel. [5] Videos of the day include fresh attacks on Moscow, details of a major Russian mechanised assault, and Ukrainian robots versus Russian soldiers. [1]
Internal Displacement Crisis
It is estimated that 3.9 million people remained displaced inside Ukraine in June 2026, according to a new report of the International Organization for Migration. [2] Although the number of people displaced internally has remained around 12 percent of the population since 2023, the report shows that the longer displacement lasts, the more families have difficulties coping. [2]
Volunteer Jason Hercula cuts strandboard as part of Ukraine’s Dobrobat rebuilding efforts in Kyiv. — Source: aljazeera
Volunteer Efforts to Rebuild
Dobrobat, Ukraine’s largest “volunteer army,” has more than 55,000 volunteers who have already helped restore apartments and houses for more than a million Ukrainians. [4] Hours after the 4am explosion on June 15, more than 100 Dobrobat volunteers arrived to clear the rubble and install temporary window coverings made of honey-coloured board at Prokopchuk’s building. [4] Vadym Severyn, the group’s spokesman, said, “Irrespective of the amount of work, irrespective of its volume, the number of volunteers at work, the result is always the same – 100 percent of the people who asked for help get it.” [4] Most volunteers are Ukrainians, and some hopped in their cars or on buses in other regions after hearing about the June 15 attack on Kyiv. [4] Foreigners from three dozen countries have also joined. [4] Lars Fersters, a retired blacksmith from the northern Swedish town of Njurunda, enlisted after learning about the atrocities committed by Russian servicemen in occupied Ukrainian regions. [4] He said, “I got angry, and asked myself, ‘Is there anything I can do’?” [4] Jason Hercula, a 37-year-old hair stylist from North Carolina, sold his plasma to buy a plane ticket to Poland and then took an overnight train to Kyiv. [4] He said, “I’ve been to two house fires, so I know what it’s like to lose my home and I want people to get back to their homes as soon as possible.” [4] Dobrobat is part of a much wider volunteer movement that involves millions of Ukrainians and supplies civilians and servicemen with virtually anything much faster than government agencies. [4] Volunteer groups raise money for drones, flak jackets, night goggles and anti-shrapnel glasses, medical treatment, prosthetics, first aid kits, footwear, batteries and heaters for trenches and bunkers. [4] They evacuate the elderly, children and pets from frontline areas. [4]
Diplomatic Context with the United States
President Donald Trump hosts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy later on Tuesday. [3] Zelenskiy said that anti-ballistic defense and strategic cooperation with the U.S. were the “number-one priority” for meetings with Trump and his team. [3] A Ukrainian source said Patriot missile interceptors are top priority. [3] The source said, “We’re experiencing strikes every day so we need Trump’s and his team’s ‘okay’ to let us buy missiles for Patriots. It’s a top priority to save lives.” [3] Zelenskiy is expected to press Trump for urgently needed air defense capabilities and completing a drone deal with the United States. [3] The two leaders will also likely discuss Trump’s promise at the NATO summit to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot interceptors. [3] Zelenskiy spoke last week with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the prospects for renewed peace talks with Russia. [3] A White House official said, “With President Zelenskiy, President Trump will discuss the ongoing peace process between Russia and Ukraine. Now is the time to end the war.” [3] After the White House meeting, Zelenskiy is expected to go to the U.S. Capitol for a meeting with all 100 senators. [3] A letter sent to lawmakers from the Pentagon showed the Trump administration has told Congress it will not finish spending $400 million authorized for aid to Ukraine until fiscal year 2029. [3]
What to watch next: Ongoing meetings between Zelenskiy and Trump on air defense priorities and peace process prospects, continued daily Russian losses of personnel and equipment, and volunteer responses to further strikes on civilian infrastructure.
