Russia deploys 255 Shahed drones in overnight attack on Ukraine on July 31, killing 9 and injuring 48

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 러시아, 드론·미사일 수백 발로 우크라이나 공격해 민간인 8명 이상 사망, Kh-101 폴란드로 진입 and 러시아 미사일, 우크라이나 대규모 공습 중 나토 영공 침범해 폴란드 루블린 지역에 낙탄.

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