From Iskanders to Zirkons, Putin Shows How He Can Turn Ukraine’s Skies Into a Fireball at Will

The most in any month this year: Russia fired 126 ballistic missiles at Ukraine in July

Russia fired more ballistic missiles at Ukraine in July than in any other month of 2026, around 126 of them, according to the monitoring project Oko Gora. The barrage mixed Iskander-M missiles, North Korean rounds, and air-defense missiles repurposed to hit ground targets. It climbed as Ukraine's shield against exactly these weapons kept thinning. Russia has spent 2026 tilting its air war toward ballistic missiles, the category air defenses stru…

From Iskanders to Zirkons, Putin shows how he can turn Ukraine’s skies into a fireball at will

Russia reportedly launched an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles against Ukraine in July, with around 126 missiles fired during the month according to the Oko Gora project. The reported barrage included Iskander-M, KN-23, and S-300/S-400 missiles used in ground attack roles. The increase in missile strikes comes as Ukraine faces challenges maintaining air defense capabilities, including shortages of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors. Recent att…

Russia Launches 126 Ballistic Missiles in July Marking Highest Monthly Surge of the Year

During July, Russian forces fired roughly 126 ballistic missiles at Ukraine—including Iskander-M, North Korean KN-23, and S-300 and S-400 systems—marking the highest monthly total recorded this year. Figures compiled by the Eye of Horus monitoring group show a steady rise in usage following 96 missiles launched in June, 86 in May, 50 in April, 39 in March, 116 in February, and 74 in January, as reported by Militarnyi on August 2. We bring you s…