On the night of July 20, 2026, between 0:00 and 6:00, the Russian armed forces launched new combined air strikes on a number of Ukrainian regions.
According to initial data from the Ukrainian military and regional administrations, the main targets of the attacks were the capital Kiev, as well as strategic sites in the Odessa, Kharkiv and Sumy regions.
The attack is a direct response to the unprecedented offensive of the previous day, in which Ukraine sent hundreds of drones deep into Russia's rear. Early this morning, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the country had been subjected to a massive strike by over 400 drones, with large fires breaking out in the Wildberries logistics hub and in oil depots in the Moscow and Tambov regions (source: fakti.bg/world/1068807-masirana-ataka-s-dronove-sreshtu-moskva-i-podmoskovieto).
As of 6:05 AM Bulgarian time, the situation in the attacked Ukrainian regions is developing as follows:
- Kiev on alert: The capital was once again subjected to missile pressure and waves of "Shaheed" type drones. Air defense systems have been activated in several areas around the city, with reports of detonations and falling debris (source: news.bg/konflikti/rusiya-izvarshi-noshtna-masirana-raketna-ataka-sreshtu-kiev.html).
- Pressure on the Black Sea Coast and Kharkiv: New explosions have been registered in the Odessa region, targeting port and transport infrastructure. Local authorities in Kharkiv also reported midnight strikes, complicating the humanitarian situation after the heavy shelling of a postal terminal the day before (source: bta.bg/bg/news/world/1169750-ukrayna-e-svalila-18-ot-41-raketi-izstrelyani-ot-rusiya-prez-izteklata-nosht-z).
- Problems with air defense stocks: The Ukrainian military command has once again signaled that Moscow's intense ballistic and drone attacks are depleting the stock of anti-aircraft missiles for Patriot systems, which requires an urgent acceleration of allied deliveries (source: reuters.com/world/europe/russian-ballistic-missiles-rock-kyiv-one-killed-officials-say-2026-07-19/).
Rescue operations and debris clearance in the affected areas continue. Full data on the scale of the destruction and possible new civilian casualties are being summarized by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.