Russia Bombards Ukrainian Capital With Deadly Wave of Strikes
Corroborated by 7 sources from 7 publishers
TL;DR
Russia Strikes Ukraine as Explosions Rock Capital of Kyiv Russia Used Shadow Fleet for Europe Drone Campaign, Report Says The Kremlin orchestrated a concerted surveillance campaign using drones launched from shadow fleet vessels over an 18-month period which targeted nuclear sites in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, researchers have said. Analysis by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) of 144 incidents in more than a dozen countries beginning in late 2024 concluded Russian intelligence had operated with “substantial impunity”, leaving authorities across Europe flat-footed and confused. Drones were repeatedly spotted over airbases and airports, yet none were captured or shot down by western militaries, exposing a strategic failure in Nato air defences that the thinktank said had been quietly acknowledged across Europe.
Sources
1
The New York Times (World)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/world/europe/ukraine-kyiv-russia-attack.html
2
Bloomberg Politics
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-02/russia-used-shadow-fleet-tankers-for-drone-campaign-over-nato-sites
3
The Guardian (World)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/02/russia-mounted-drone-surveillance-of-european-nuclear-sites-over-18-months
4
Financial Times
https://www.ft.com/content/f85948e6-d779-4d74-9a59-56e83c3534d6
5
ABC News International Headlines
https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/russia-waged-drone-campaign-europe-launched-drones-shadow-134400766
6
The New York Times (World)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07/02/world/ukraine-kyiv-russia-attack/ukraine-kyiv-russia-attack
7
The Hill International
https://thehill.com/policy/international/5950964-russia-ukraine-deadly-attack-kyiv-zelensky-warning
8
Dow Jones World News
https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/russia-ukraine-strikes-kyiv-9f76c67d
9
The New York Times (World)
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07/02/world/ukraine-kyiv-russia-attack/heres-the-latest
10
The New York Times (World)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/02/world/europe/russia-attack-on-kyiv.html