Russia deploys 255 Shahed drones in overnight attack on Ukraine on July 31, killing 9 and injuring 48
Russian forces launched a mass aerial attack on Ukraine overnight July 31, deploying 255 Shahed-type attack drones across the country, the Ukrainian Air Force said; the attacks killed 9 people and wounded 48 over the preceding day as Ukraine continued to reel from the July 30 mass missile and drone barrage; President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his plea for faster Western air-defense deliveries, saying 'untimely assistance and delays in the delivery of anti-ballistic missiles lead to this kind of destruction'
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Summary
Russia launched a mass aerial assault on Ukraine overnight on July 31, deploying 255 Shahed-type attack drones, the Ukrainian Air Force said. The attacks killed 9 people and wounded 48 across Ukraine over the preceding 24-hour period, with the country still absorbing damage from the July 30 mass missile and drone barrage. President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for accelerated Western air-defense deliveries, saying delays in supplying anti-ballistic missiles directly caused the civilian deaths. The July 31 drone wave followed Russia's largest overnight barrage in weeks the previous night, when a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile also crossed into NATO airspace over Poland, documented in Russia fires hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukraine, killing at least 10; Kh-101 crosses into Poland and Russian missile crosses into NATO airspace and crashes in Poland's Lublin region during mass strike on Ukraine.
Why it matters
Two consecutive nights of mass aerial assault signal Russia escalating the tempo of strikes against Ukraine's cities and infrastructure. Zelensky's renewed air-defense plea came at a moment when Western partners are debating supply timelines; the juxtaposition of 255 drones in one night with his words about "untimely assistance" is a direct appeal to the political debate inside NATO capitals. The Ukraine Russia War is entering a phase where drone volume, not just missile precision, is the primary instrument of civilian pressure.
What to watch
- Ukrainian Air Force intercept rate disclosure for the 255-drone wave
- Western response to Zelensky's air-defense plea, specifically any accelerated Patriot or NASAMS deliveries
- Whether Russia launches a third consecutive night of mass aerial attack on Ukraine