We're reporting on another one of Russia's record-breaking drone attacks on Kyiv: Here's what you helped us do this week (Patreon)

Dear Kyiv Independent community members,

Thank you for your continued support.

Last night, Russia launched another "record-breaking" mass drone and missile attack on Kyiv, launching 550 drones and missiles over seven hours. Pictured above, a large plume of smoke covers Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 4, 2025, after a mass drone and missile attack by Russia, taken by Kostiantyn Liberov for Getty Images.

This headline about a "record-breaking drone attack" might look familiar — but that's because it is. Over the past weeks, Russia simply has kept increasing the amount of drones they launch at Ukraine every night, consistently surpassing the previous number.

Exactly a month ago, we ran a news item that Ukraine could soon face over 500 Russian drones a night, and unfortunately, we didn't have to wait long.

In short, mass air attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities are at an all-time high, and the situation isn't good: Russia launched a record-breaking 5,337 kamikaze drones at Ukraine in June, but this week, the U.S. also suspended the delivery of military aid to Ukraine, including air defense munitions that are critical for defending civilian areas.

No matter what comes next though, we'll be here to keep reporting. We'd like to thank you for being one of our community members who keeps our work funded.

We'd also like to give a warm welcome to the 186 new members who joined this week. Thank you for helping us show the world the truth of the situation on the ground.

Here's what you helped us accomplish at the Kyiv Independent this week:

We reported on the aftermath of Russia's mass missile and drone strike on Kyiv. After the record-breaking attack last night, one city official warned residents to close their windows due to dangerous levels of "combustion products" in the air. "The kind of explosions I heard here were unlike anything I heard in Pokrovsk," said one woman, Liliia, who recently moved from Donetsk Oblast to Kyiv. "It’s just beyond words."

We also reported on Ukraine's new interceptor UAVs — which are already starting to knock Russia's Shahed drones out of the sky. As Russia's drone attacks increase, and air defense munitions from the U.S. run low, Ukraine's interceptor drones are starting to fill the gap. Kollen Post's article explains everything we know about the interceptor UAVs.

We reported from Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, one of the hottest parts of the front line. Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko spent a day with an artillery crew from the 28th Mechanized Brigade, as Russia's summer offensive continues to heat up and a new shortage of 155mm shells looms in Ukraine after the U.S. has started to halt weapons shipments to Ukraine.

Our most widely read story this week was about China's new graphite bomb. Chris York's explainer breaks down the capabilities of the graphite bomb — reportedly it is able to cause a complete loss of electricity across an area of 10,000 square meters, or completely knock out a power station.

We wrote about Russia increasingly targeting Ukrainian cities with cluster munitions. Natalia Yermak's article looks at how the 2025 civilian death toll in Ukraine has risen by 37% when compared to last year and how Russia's use of cluster munitions — a weapon that's internationally banned — has contributed to this.

We also wrote about Ukraine's decision to exit a treaty banning anti-personnel landmines. Asami Terajima's article analyzes why Ukraine looks to withdraw from the treaty, as it struggles to hold off Russia's intensifying offensive, and the comments from human rights and legal experts, as well as the international community. We also interviewed the head of world’s largest demining organization, who said that "Ukraine is biggest landmine challenge since World War II."

We interviewed Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia, who spoke about the peace process and the threat of U.S. disengagement. He also said that the failed U.S. peace effort has left Ukraine worse off.

Finally, to end on a positive note, we are starting to ship our first-ever print magazine "The Power Within." We're so excited to share the final product with you, and we're really grateful with the amount of support we've received from our community! However, we've also heard from members that some of you have had problems with shipping, for example, the customs fee was too high or that the delivery address was incorrect. If you're facing a problem like this, please reach out to our e-store team at support@kyivindependent.com. They will be able to help you. Pictured below is a quick look through the magazine. We hope you enjoy it!

Thank you for standing by our side as we bring independent, locally sourced news about Ukraine to the world.