Ukraine and Russia Exchange Massive Long-Range Aerial Strikes

Between July 24 and 26, 2026, Russia and Ukraine engaged in a series of reciprocal long-range aerial assaults. Volodymyr Zelenskyy authorized a strategic shift toward soft targets, launching over 300 drones against Russian infrastructure. This campaign specifically targeted the logistics network of Wildberries, Russia's largest e-commerce company, which Ukraine alleges provides sanctioned drone components to the military. Strikes hit warehouses in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Yekaterinburg, causing significant economic losses. Ukraine also targeted the Avitek munitions plant in Kirov, the Tyumen oil refinery, and the Filanovsky oil platform in the Caspian Sea.

Simultaneously, Russian forces conducted massive missile and drone strikes across Ukraine. A ballistic missile strike on July 24 hit a private military training ground in the Bucha district of the Kyiv region during a defense industry exhibition, killing at least 10 people and wounding approximately 100. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the site showcased drones used to strike Russian territory. Other Russian attacks targeted ports in Odesa and Mykolaiv, energy facilities in Chernihiv, and residential buildings in Kyiv on July 26.

In the aftermath, Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko opened criminal investigations into the organization of the Bucha exhibition for potential negligence under martial law. While Vladimir Putin asserted the Russian economy remains stable, Ukrainian intelligence warns that Russia is preparing a significant new mobilization draft for the autumn. The escalating violence occurs as Zelenskyy prepares to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss the conflict and the co-production of Patriot missile systems.