On July 9, Russia launched its largest drone and missile attack against multiple Ukrainian cities, with the heaviest assault in this war on the far-western city of Lutsk, the Kyiv Independent reported.

The late spring and early summer in Ukraine were marked by disturbingly frequent mass attacks against civilian targets. Russia regularly terrorized cities with ballistic and cruise missiles, along with record numbers of kamikaze drones.

Explosions rocked Kiev around midnight on July 9. Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that Russian drones had attacked the city center and that air defenses had shot down targets.

Ukraine's air force said dozens of Russian combat drones and ballistic missiles also targeted Ukraine's extreme western regions. There were reports of drones approaching the western cities of Lutsk, Lviv, Khmelnitsky and Ternopil.

Russian forces used 728 strike drones and Shahed-type decoys, as well as seven X-101 or Iskander-K cruise missiles and six Kizhal missiles, the Air Force said.

Ukrainian air defenses have shot down 296 drones and all seven cruise missiles, and 415 drones have disappeared from radars.

The Polish air force said it had scrambled fighter jets during the attack to protect Polish airspace.

In recent weeks, Russian ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones have attacked Kiev and other Ukrainian cities with renewed force, killing dozens of civilians and injuring hundreds of others.

The renewed attacks on Ukraine come at a time when US President Donald Trump has promised to send 10 Patriot air defence systems. | BGNES