597 attack drones, 26 missiles: Russia's air strike on Ukraine kills six

Russia launched a massive air strike against Ukraine on July 12, 2025, deploying 597 attack drones—including over half identified as Iranian-designed "shahed" loitering munitions—and 26 cruise missiles. The attacks targeted multiple regions, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Lviv, Bukovyna, and Dnipropetrovsk, resulting in at least six deaths and dozens of injuries. Notably, two fatalities in the Chernivtsi region were caused by falling drone debris, while other casualties occurred from missile strikes in Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy. Despite the scale of the assault, Ukraine’s air defense forces successfully intercepted and destroyed 319 drones and 25 cruise missiles, mitigating further damage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the effectiveness of his country’s air defenses and called for tougher secondary sanctions against entities aiding Russia’s drone production and oil profiteering. He emphasized the need for more air defense systems and investments