Day 1618 of the war: Russia and Ukraine exchange massive strikes
Russia launched missile and drone attacks on several Ukrainian cities, while Ukrainian drones hit another Wildberries warehouse in Russia. Ukraine lost its fourth F-16 fighter jet.
Russian forces struck Kyiv with missiles overnight on July 30, causing debris and fires in several districts, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko reported. The Kyiv City Military Administration confirmed one death.
Explosions were heard in Lviv, and air defense was active. Mayor Andriy Sadovyi and regional head Maksym Kozytskyi reported damage to two residential high-rises. In Kharkiv, a Shahed drone hit an industrial zone in the Novobavarskyi district, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
In Krivoy Rih, an Iskander-M ballistic missile struck a private house in the suburb of Radushne, killing two girls (aged 5 and 12) and four adults. Eight people were wounded, including two boys (aged 6 and 15), according to Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city defense council. Rescue operations continued.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 258 Ukrainian drones overnight over several regions and the Black and Azov Seas. The Rostov region governor reported more than 40 drones intercepted in Taganrog and eight districts.
Ukrainian drones attacked a Wildberries warehouse in Penza, causing a large fire. One person was injured, about 200 employees evacuated, Governor Oleg Melnichenko said. In July, Ukraine struck at least 11 Wildberries logistics terminals, eight seriously damaged, knocking out over 15% of the marketplace's storage space, according to Western agencies.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported an F-16 fighter crashed during a combat mission intercepting Russian air targets. The pilot ejected and was rescued. Ukraine received its first F-16s in August 2024 and has lost four since.
