‘Hell From The Sky’: Russia Hits Ukraine With 728 Drones, 13 Missiles In War’s Deadliest Wave; Zelensky Shares Aftermath Video

New Delhi: Ukraine woke up on July 9 to a sky full of metal and fire as Russia unleashed its biggest aerial assault since the war began. The Ukrainian Air Force said it was the “largest combined drone and missile attack” seen in more than three years of relentless conflict.

Kyiv claimed to have shot down most of the drones, but the scale stunned even hardened commanders.

Out of 728 kamikaze drones, Ukrainian air defense systems intercepted 718. That still left 10 to strike. The barrage came with 13 missiles trailing behind, targeting infrastructure deep inside Ukrainian territory.

Russia launched an air attack overnight with 741 aerial weapons – including 728 drones, 7 Iskander-K cruise missiles, and 6 Kinzhal missiles. Our defenses neutralized 718 threats, with dozens intercepted by Ukrainian interceptor drones and mobile fire groups.

The main strike hit… pic.twitter.com/6yvtvBE5mP

— MFA of Ukraine (@MFA_Ukraine) July 9, 2025

Russia launched its largest aerial attack on Ukraine overnight with 741 targets including 728 drones and 13 missiles.
Most were shot down. Lutsk was hit hardest.
Strikes also affected Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and other regions.
Cleanup and recovery are ongoing.

SES Ukraine pic.twitter.com/oJa12xSObp

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) July 9, 2025

Lutsk Mayor Igor Polishchuk said the city, though hit, reported no injuries or deaths. It was a miracle, some said. But the strike was a show of power in addition to the intended damage.

The previous record? 550 drones and missiles. That was last week. This week, Russia set a new bar. And the timing was not lost on anyone.

Hours before the attack, US President Donald Trump reversed course and vowed to increase weapons deliveries to Ukraine. At a campaign event, he accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of spreading “bulls**t” about Ukraine and promised “a real response”.

It did not take long for Moscow to answer.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video showing the wreckage, shattered buildings, twisted metal and smoke curling into an overcast sky.

He did not hold back.

“This is a telling attack, and it comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace, to establish a ceasefire and yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all,” Zelenskyy wrote.

He called on Ukraine’s allies to step up and strike back, not with force, but with pressure.

“Our partners know how to apply pressure in a way that will force Russia to think about ending the war, not launching new strikes,” he added. 

A new massive Russian attack on our cities. It was the highest number of aerial targets in a single day: 741 targets – 728 drones of various types, including over 300 shaheds, and 13 missiles – Kinzhals and Iskanders. Most of the targets were shot down. Our interceptor drones… pic.twitter.com/Lxa5TdYVXT

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy (@ZelenskyyUa) July 9, 2025

The Kremlin has not officially commented on the scale of the attack. But analysts say the message was unmistakable – Russia is not ready to stop. And it is ready to overwhelm Ukraine’s skies – one drone at a time.