Vitrenko: Russia's Escalation of Terror Shows Kremlin's Desperation

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, Yuriy Vitrenko, told the OSCE Permanent Council that Russia's escalation of its terror campaign against Ukrainian civilians and its brutal actions in occupied territories are a clear manifestation of the Kremlin's increasing desperation.

Vitrenko noted that Russia has failed to achieve any of its strategic goals: it has not destroyed Ukrainian statehood, nor has it broken the determination of the Ukrainian people to resist.

Massive attack on July 2

He informed OSCE delegations that on the night of July 2, Russia launched one of its largest air strikes on Ukraine. The attack on Kyiv damaged over 20 objects, mostly residential buildings. Also hit were an ambulance station, a research institute, a hotel, and enterprises. In addition, the Kharkiv, Kyiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Cherkasy regions were attacked.

Weekly statistics

Vitrenko emphasized that in the past week alone, Russia used about 1,400 attack drones, nearly 1,500 guided aerial bombs, and 19 missiles against Ukraine. The vast majority of strikes targeted civilian objects, not military or defense installations, including critical infrastructure, transport networks, educational and healthcare facilities.

Attacks on medical facilities

Systematic attacks on medical infrastructure cause particular concern. According to Ukraine's Health Ministry, at least 2,617 medical facilities have been attacked since the start of the full-scale invasion, with 331 completely destroyed. This year alone, the World Health Organization's monitoring system recorded 300 attacks on medical facilities and personnel, resulting in 15 deaths and 116 injuries.

Russian losses and call for stronger sanctions

Vitrenko pointed out that instead of a blitzkrieg, the Kremlin has become bogged down in a protracted war that has already cost Russia nearly 1.5 million casualties. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to successfully strike Russian military-industrial complex and oil infrastructure targets.

He called for strengthening sanctions against Russia and all those who support its aggressive war, closing existing loopholes, and ensuring enforcement. "Only constant pressure can force Russia to stop its aggressive war. Every step that strengthens Ukraine and increases the cost of Russian aggression brings us closer to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace," Vitrenko said.

Reminder of the July 2 attack

On the night of July 2, Russia launched a massive combined strike on Ukraine using attack drones and various types of missiles. Air defense destroyed 524 out of 570 targets, but 25 ballistic missiles and 12 attack drones hit. Later it was reported that the death toll in Kyiv from this attack rose to 27.