Russia Intensifies Missile Attacks on Ukraine, Casualties Rise and Psychological Wounds Deepen

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate, Russian missile attacks have caused severe casualties and left deep psychological scars on Ukrainian civilians. On July 24, three Russian missiles targeted the capital Kyiv; Ukraine's air defense intercepted only one due to a critical shortage of Western-made interceptor missiles. The remaining two struck a sports center hosting a drone exhibition, killing 12 people and injuring over 100.

Among the victims was Valentyna Savitska, 32, a female border guard officer and mother of two. Her husband, Ihor Solovey, head of the government-run Center for Strategic Communication, said their 15-year-old son is determined to enlist to avenge his mother, while their 11-year-old daughter is still recovering. “Their childhood is over; they lost their mother,” Solovey told Al Jazeera, adding that his daughter has been diagnosed with delayed stress—a lifelong scar.

According to the United Nations, July was the deadliest month in the war since May 2022, with Russia launching 376 missiles, compared to 288 in March and 192 in July 2025. Russia also used nearly 5,000 drones and hundreds of glide bombs, collapsing many buildings in frontline areas. In central Kyiv, a missile on July 2 exploded just meters from the apartment of Kateryna Babych, 47, severely damaging the building and causing her son to suffer a concussion and torn meniscus when a wardrobe fell on him.

Observers attribute the record attacks and casualties to U.S. President Donald Trump's refusal to supply PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot systems. Each interceptor costs several million dollars, but Lockheed Martin's factory produces only about 50 per month. The U.S. administration has diverted supplies to Middle Eastern allies after Washington and Israel struck Iran, while also boosting its own strategic reserves.

Ukraine has only one-tenth of the interceptors it needs, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CNN on August 12. He urged the U.S. to provide 5% of its current missile stockpile to help Ukraine survive the winter, or 10% to destroy all of Russia's ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, Russian strikes target residential areas in retaliation for Ukraine's campaign against Russian oil refineries, fuel depots, and transport hubs.

Ukraine is appealing to 40 countries for interceptor missiles, but deliveries face hurdles. Lt. Gen. Ihor Romanenko, former deputy chief of staff, said Ukraine also needs crews to operate Patriot systems that the U.S. promised but has not delivered. Russia is reportedly producing up to 300 missiles per month, with factories working shifts to exceed targets.

Analyst Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta research center in Kyiv, said Russia is exploiting its numerical missile advantage in a “cynical and violent” way, creating imbalance and pushing peace talks further away. Russian President Vladimir Putin has an “illusion” that he can win this war because Ukraine lacks interceptors, Fesenko said.

Russian attacks have also nearly paralyzed Odesa, Ukraine's main port, hindering exports of grain, vegetable oil, and steel. In response, Ukraine has struck Russian ports, oil depots, and cargo ships in the Black Sea, leading to a mutual blockade. This blockade, along with drought, has driven global wheat prices 30% higher than last year, hitting Middle Eastern countries like Egypt, Lebanon, and Sudan hard.

On Thursday, Putin rejected Ukraine's proposal for a Black Sea ceasefire. Nikolay Mitrokhin, a researcher at the University of Bremen, said Moscow cares little about Russian farmers' problems, as unsold grain can be used as animal feed, large farms receive government credit, and farmers are compensated and given loans for the new season.