AP: Russia launched 728 attack drones in one night, setting a record in the Ukraine war
AP reported on July 9 that Russia launched 728 attack drones and 13 missiles against Ukraine during the night of the 9th, setting a new record for the number of drones in a single air strike since the war began. Ukraine said its air defense system shot down 296 drones and 7 missiles, with another 415 drones rendered ineffective due to interference. The attack affected 10 regions, causing one death and two injuries. Poland, as a NATO member, urgently deployed fighter jets and raised its combat readiness level.
This attack was the third time in two weeks that Russia broke its own record - previously on July 5, it launched 550 drones, and on June 28, 477 drones. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy pointed out that the city of Lutsk, near the western border (close to the Western aid hub Poland), suffered the most damage. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that "all designated airbase targets were hit." The Washington-based think tank "Institute for the Study of War" analyzed that Russia is continuously expanding its domestic drone production capacity to support front-line operations and long-range strikes.
At the time of the attack, the United States suspended the delivery of key weapons to Ukraine. US President Trump said on the 10th that he would supply more weapons to Ukraine, and the Kremlin responded by saying it was willing to repair the damaged bilateral relations. Zelenskyy called on the international community to strengthen sanctions on Russian oil. On the same day, Ukraine launched a drone attack on Russia's Kursk region, and the Russian side said it caused three deaths (including a 5-year-old child) and seven injuries.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837203499017227/
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