Russia conducted a series of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine on the night of July 23 to 24.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched four Iskander-K cruise missiles and 103 Shahed-type and decoy drones from the directions of Bryansk and Kursk cities; Shatalovo, Smolensk Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; and Cape Chauda and Hvardiiske, occupied Crimea.[86] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed and suppressed one Iskander-K cruise missile and 90 Shahed-type and decoy drones in northern, eastern, southern, and central Ukraine. Ukrainian officials reported that over 30 Russian drones damaged Primorsky Boulevard – a UNESCO World Heritage site – and a market, a gas station, and multi-story residential buildings in Odesa City.[87] Zaporizhia Oblast Military Administration Head Ivan Fedorov reported that Russian drone strikes damaged residential areas in Zaporizhzhia City.[88] Cherkasy City and Oblast officials reported that four Russian cruise missiles, presumably Iskander-K missiles, damaged educational, healthcare, and residential areas in Cherkasy City and injured 12 people.[89] Kharkiv City and Oblast officials reported that Russian Geran-2 (Russian-made equivalent of Shahed drones) and guided glide bomb strikes against Kharkiv City damaged residential areas.[90]
The Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office reported on July 24 that Russian forces struck Kharkiv City with two guided glide bombs equipped with a new modification of the universal joint glide munition (UMPB), referred to as the UMPB-5, and that the UMPB-5s have an approximate range of 100 kilometers.[91] Ukrainian officials reported that the strikes injured 42 civilians and damaged a multi-story residential building. Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor’s Office Spokesperson Spartak Borisenko stated that the UMPB-5 weighs 250 kilograms and has a thicker metal casing than Russian D-30 glide bombs.[92]
Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed and suppressed one Iskander-K cruise missile and 90 Shahed-type and decoy drones in northern, eastern, southern, and central Ukraine
Russia will likely implement new policies to augment its military administrative capacity to significantly expand the rate at which Russia can call up a larger volume of conscripts and reservists.
Russia has planned the gradual expansion of the Russian military since 2022, and the proposed changes to Russia’s personnel processing system are likely intended to support ongoing efforts to increase the size of the Russian military.
The expansion of Russia’s administrative capacity to process conscripts and mobilized personnel would allow Russia to mobilize forces faster and more efficiently both during a protracted war in Ukraine and a possible future war against NATO.
Reductions in the bottlenecks in the Russian conscription process would also impact Russia’s ability to wage future wars.
Kremlin officials continued to signal Russia’s unwillingness to engage substantively in efforts to establish a lasting peace in Ukraine during the third round of bilateral talks in Istanbul.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted a draft bill to the Ukrainian parliament on July 24 aimed at bolstering the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies in response to public backlash against the controversial bill that Zelensky signed on July 22.
The US State Department approved two Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Ukraine totaling $322 million.
Ukraine and Russia conducted their ninth prisoner of war (POW) exchange on July 23, in accordance with agreements reached during the June 2 bilateral negotiations in Istanbul.
Russian forces recently advanced in northern Sumy Oblast and near Kupyansk, Borova, Toretsk, and Novopavlivka.
**General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine**
*Operational information as of 22:00 on 24 July 2025 regarding the Russian invasion*
Ukrainian defenders continue to resolutely repel enemy attempts to advance deeper into Ukrainian territory, inflicting effective fire damage and depleting its combat potential across the entire front line.
In total, 130 combat clashes have taken place since the beginning of this day.
Russian invaders launched one missile and 54 air strikes, used four missiles, and dropped 91 guided bombs. In addition, the Russians used 1,156 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,821 shelling attacks on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
– In the North Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, our troops have repelled 15 enemy attacks since the beginning of the day. The enemy also carried out six air strikes, using seven guided aerial bombs, and carried out 190 shelling attacks, five of which were from multiple launch rocket systems.
– In the South Slobozhanskyi direction, the enemy stormed the positions of Ukrainian units near the settlements of Vovchansk, Petro-Ivanivka, and Kamyanske five times — all enemy attacks were repelled.
– In the Kupiansk direction, the enemy carried out four attacks on the positions of our defenders near Stepova Novoselivka, Zagryzove, Zelenyi Hai, and in the direction of Velyka Shapkivka.
– In the Lyman direction, since the beginning of the day, Russian invaders have attacked 17 times near the settlements of Hrekivka, Novyi Mir, Yampilivka, Torske, and in the direction of the settlements of Dronivka, Shandryholove, Cherneshyna, Serednie. One combat engagement is ongoing.
In the Siverskyi direction, fighting continues near Hryhorivka.
One enemy attack was repelled in the Kramatorsk direction, in the Bila Hora area.
In the Toretsk direction, the Russians attacked the positions of the Defense Forces four times. The enemy’s main efforts are concentrated near Toretsk, Rusyn Yar, in the directions of Oleksandro-Shultyne and Katerynivka. One combat engagement is currently ongoing.
Since the beginning of the day, the Russians have attempted 43 times to break through Ukrainian defenses in the areas of Rusyn Yar, Mirne, Myrnohrad, Novoeekonomichne, Lysivka, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Udachne, Dachne, as well as in the direction of Volodymyrivka and Pokrovsk. Two combat engagements are currently ongoing.
Defense forces are holding back enemy assaults, and the enemy is suffering significant losses — today, 67 occupiers were neutralized in this direction, 49 of whom were killed.
In the Novopavlivka direction, Ukrainian units stopped 14 enemy assaults near the settlements of Piddubne, Maliivka, and Voskresenka — in the direction of Temyrivka and Oleksandrohrad. Four more battles are ongoing.
In the Huliaipole direction, unguided missiles were fired at areas of the settlement of Zaliznychne. No enemy offensive actions were recorded.
In the Orikhiv direction, the occupiers made one unsuccessful attempt to advance in the area of the settlement of Stepnogorsk.
In the Prydniprovsk direction, the enemy attacked the positions of the Defense Forces five times and also carried out air strikes on the settlements of Kherson and Mykolaivka.
No significant changes in the situation were recorded in other directions.
Today, it is worth noting the soldiers of the 140th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the Marine Corps of the Ukrainian Navy, who are effectively holding back the enemy, inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment.
