Overview
- Ukrainian officials reported a concentrated wave of Russian attacks over July 25–26 that involved thousands of kamikaze drones, dozens of aviation strikes and hundreds of artillery and rocket strikes and produced widespread civilian damage and casualties.
- The General Staff said heavy fighting continued on the front, citing roughly 200–258 daily combat engagements and high single‑day estimates of Russian personnel losses reported on Sunday.
- Ukraine’s security services carried out deep counter‑operations that struck maritime and energy targets, with the SBU reporting hits on vessels and an oil platform in the Caspian Sea and the Special Operations Forces claiming a strike on the Tyumen refinery in Russia.
- Kyiv moved to prioritise and expand air‑defence capabilities and approved continuation of a ‘‘distant strikes’’ plan that extends Ukrainian strike range beyond 2,000–3,000 km to target Russian logistics and fuel infrastructure.
- The attacks produced domestic fallout and regional spillovers: prosecutors detained the organiser of a Kyiv‑region weapons exhibition hit by missiles that killed 10 and wounded about 100, and Romania reported an F‑16 downing a stray drone over its waters, prompting diplomatic protest.