In July 2025, russia launched approximately 6,200 one-way attack unmanned aerial systems (OWA UAS) against Ukraine, a new monthly high, surpassing the approximately 5,600 launched in June 2025, the UK Defense Intelligence reports. As noted, russian OWA UAS continue to be combined with russia's premier missiles in attempts to increase the missiles' survivability and complicate Ukrainian air defense efforts.
Several daily highs for russian OWA UAS use were also observed in July 2025, with significant numbers of decoy UAS employed alongside live warhead variants. This has become standard practice for russia's attritional air strategy.
Read more: UK Defense Intelligence: Despite Reduced Daily Losses Since March, russia Continues to Pay a High Price for Its Aggression
The russian Long Range Aviation (LRA) bombers have maintained their operational tempo, continuing to demonstrate the resilience and retained capability of the fleet following Ukraine's Spiderweb Operation on June 1, 2025. Seven LRA strike packages were observed in July, launching more than 70 of its premier munitions.
On the other hand, Ukraine also continues its own OWA UAS strikes deep into russian territory, attempting to disrupt russian military industry and fuel production. Thus, russian air defense continues its struggles in protecting both military and industry locations within range of Ukraine's ever improving UAS capabilities.
However, it is likely that russia will respond to Ukrainian successes both in kind, and with its more destructive LRA fleet, with the Kremlin frustrated by Ukraine's ability to penetrate its extensive defensive posture.
As Defense Express previously reported, the russian Ground Forces (RGF) highly likely seized approximately 500-550 sq km of Ukrainian territory in July 2025. The RGF seized a similar amount of Ukrainian territory in June 2025, following month on month increases from March 2025. The RGF continued to make tactical advances in Donetsk region, primarily to the north-east and south-west of Pokrovsk.
Read more: How the Destruction of russian Tu-160, Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3 Bombers Impacts the $175 Billion Golden Dome
